Rose Hill Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress by:
  • making better use of assessment to provide work that is closely matched to pupils’ needs, particularly for the most able and least able pupils
  • ensuring consistently high expectations for pupils’ punctuation, spelling and grammar, and the presentation of their work
  • providing more opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills across a broad range of subjects
  • supporting pupils in key stage 2 more closely to develop fluency and love of reading.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • developing action planning to more precisely identify the intended improvements and how the impact of the school’s actions will be measured
  • embedding systems that monitor pupils’ progress to ensure a more accurate view of progress
  • ensuring that pupil premium funding is used more effectively to improve the progress of disadvantaged pupils, particularly in writing
  • continuing to develop plans to promote learning across the range of subjects to more effectively build and deepen pupils’ skills and knowledge. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Since the last inspection, the school has been through much upheaval. Leaders and governors have overseen a staffing restructure, and a large number of staff have left or joined the school. Senior leadership has also been through a time of change, including the appointment of four new assistant headteachers in September 2017. Staffing and leadership are now stable and leaders’ work to bring about improvement is beginning to bear fruit.
• Leaders and governors took concerted action following the disappointing end of key stage 2 results in 2017. They focused on improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress in mathematics. This led to improvements to progress and standards in the provisional 2018 end of key stage 2 results. Progress in writing, standards in spelling, punctuation and grammar and standards for disadvantaged pupils also showed improvement.
• The headteacher and senior leaders have worked effectively to create a culture of respect and a positive ethos of shared commitment to improvement. Almost all staff who responded to the staff survey said that they were proud to be a member of staff at the school. Staff who spoke with inspectors said that they felt valued and supported. They praised the opportunities they had for professional development.
• The leadership of teaching ensures that staff receive training to develop their skills. Staff training in the teaching of mathematics and writing is leading to better progress in these subjects.
• Leaders have a good understanding of the key priorities for the school. However, their plans for improvement lack precision. It is often not clear exactly what the focus of the improvement is, or how leaders will know when it has been achieved. This limits the extent to which governors can hold leaders to account for the impact of their work to bring about improvement.
• The senior leadership team share a passion and ambition to provide the best-quality education for pupils. They have a secure understanding of their roles and have worked determinedly to develop thorough systems to monitor and assess pupils’ progress. This is beginning to provide a more precise and accurate view of pupils’ progress throughout the school. However, it is too early to see the full impact of this work.
• Leaders have identified the barriers to learning for disadvantaged pupils. Pupil premium funding is used to provide resources and staffing to help to meet pupils’ needs and promote their progress. However, this work is not ensuring that the difference in progress between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally is diminishing quickly enough, particularly in writing.
• The curriculum is appropriately broad and balanced. It provides a range of experiences, including visits in the local environment. Pupils’ experiences are enriched by a range of extra-curricular activities, such as choir, drama club and skateboarding club. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils learn to respect others, including those of different faiths and beliefs. The curriculum includes a regular focus on themes such as respect and diversity, which are effective in developing pupils’ understanding of these aspects.
• Leaders have recently reviewed their approach to the curriculum in order to ensure that what is provided builds pupils’ learning and skills effectively. It is too early to see the full impact of these changes in improving outcomes for pupils.
• Leaders make good use of the primary physical education and sports premium to develop pupils’ skills in, and enjoyment of, exercise and sport. Sports coaches develop pupils’ skills and train key stage 2 pupils to be sports leaders, running games at lunchtime for other pupils. Pupils are provided with a broad range of extra-curricular clubs, including dance, gymnastics, dodgeball and football, and these are well attended.
• The funding for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is used appropriately to ensure that pupils with SEND receive support which meets their needs. The special educational needs coordinator is relatively new to post and is working to refine systems to monitor pupils’ progress in order to give a more accurate picture of pupils’ learning.
• The local authority has provided a good level of support to the school. This included the appointment of a temporary headteacher for six months in the 2017/18 school year, covering for the permanent headteacher’s absence.

Governance of the school

• Governors are ambitious for the school. They know the school well and provide a good level of challenge and support to school leaders. They use their professional expertise and knowledge well to support leaders and staff.
• Following the disappointing results in 2017, governors, along with other leaders, took determined action to ensure that plans were in place to bring about improvements. Minutes of these meetings demonstrate the good level of challenge provided by governors. Governors’ work has made an important contribution to ensuring that the school is now improving.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have ensured that all staff are well informed about safeguarding issues and are vigilant in ensuring that pupils are kept safe. Policies and procedures are thorough and records are meticulously kept.
• Leaders ensure that referrals are made in a timely way. Positive links with other agencies are established to meet pupils’ needs well.
• Pupils, staff, parents and carers agree that the school keeps pupils safe. Pupils who spoke with inspectors showed a good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe. Pupils knew that they had adults in school that they could share any concerns with.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Staff do not make consistently good use of assessment of pupils’ skills and capabilities to ensure that teaching is tailored to pupils’ individual needs. This is particularly the case for the most able and least able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. As a result, pupils’ progress is not consistently good.
• The teaching of writing, although improving, does not ensure pupils’ good progress. Teachers’ expectations for pupils’ use of grammar, spelling and punctuation are, at times, not high enough. Common mistakes go unrectified, and so continue to detract from the quality of pupils’ writing.
• Pupils’ opportunities to develop their writing skills in other subjects is limited. This hinders their progress in deepening and extending their skills. For example, chances to write at length in other subjects, such as history and geography, are sometimes limited.
• Phonics is well taught. Pupils benefit from daily structured sessions which are usually matched well to their abilities. They are learning to apply these skills to their reading.
• Although younger pupils show a love of reading, some older pupils lack enthusiasm for this subject. Activities to develop reading skills do not consistently meet pupils’ needs well. At times, reading texts are not sufficiently challenging.
• The teaching of mathematics has improved as a result of recent staff training. Staff confidence has improved in promoting pupils’ skills in number and problem-solving. This is leading to better progress for pupils. Pupils in key stage 1 worked well to order numbers. Some pupils responded well to the ‘challenge task’ to apply their learning and deepen their reasoning skills.
• Pupils who attend the school’s resource provision benefit from effective support to develop their communication skills. Relationships are warm and supportive and work is mostly matched well to pupils needs.
• Teaching provides interesting activities to engage pupils’ interest in learning in subjects such as history and geography. For example, lower key stage 2 pupils enthusiastically discussed ideas for designing a building for their home town. However, learning across the range of subjects does not consistently build on pupils’ skills to deepen their learning.
• The positive relationships between staff and pupils contribute to pupils’ positive self-esteem and their progress in 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 say that they enjoy school. They generally engage well in their work, showing positive attitudes to their learning.
• Pupils relish their responsibilities in school as digital leaders, sports leaders and school councillors. Some pupils are members of the school’s learning council, which has a voice in improving the quality of learning. These responsibilities help to build pupils’ confidence and give them skills for later life.
• Pupils show respectful attitudes towards staff and each other. They show an awareness of different faiths and beliefs, and of the importance of respecting differences. The school’s focus on themes such as diversity and relationships, in assembly and circle time, help to promote this awareness and positive attitudes.
• Pupils show a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe. They know about the dangers of using the internet. They report that staff keep them safe. Pupils know that if they have concerns, there is a member of staff they can talk to.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils’ conduct in lessons and around school is good. They respond well to the high expectations of staff for their good behaviour.
• Pupils have a good understanding of the school’s behaviour policy. They show an awareness of what constitutes bullying. A small minority of pupils and parents reported that there is some bullying in school. Inspection evidence found that the small number of bullying cases are dealt with appropriately by staff and leaders.
• The school’s record shows that pupils who find managing their own behaviour difficult show good improvement in their behaviour over time as a result of the effective approach of staff.
• Occasionally, where learning is not closely matched to their needs, pupils’ good behaviour lapses as they lose concentration and focus on their learning.
• Attendance is broadly in line with national averages. The school’s close working with families is having a positive impact on improving attendance for the small proportion of pupils who are frequently absent from school.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Although improving, pupils’ progress across different subjects and year groups is uneven due to inconsistencies in the quality of teaching.
• Instability in staffing and leadership has affected pupils’ progress. This was reflected in the 2017 end of key stage 2 results. Although the standards reached by the end of key stage 2 were broadly average, pupils made weak progress in writing and mathematics. Progress in reading was better than in writing and mathematics, but was still below average.
• Pupils in key stage 1 fared better, attaining above-average standards in reading, writing and mathematics in 2017. The provisional 2018 results, however, indicate a decline in standards at the end of key stage 1 in reading and writing to below national averages.
• The now stable leadership and staff team have worked determinedly to avert any further decline and to ensure that progress is improving. Improvements to teaching are reflected in the provisional 2018 key stage 2 results. These show improvements to progress and standards in mathematics and writing.
• The results of leaders’ concerted work to improve teaching and progress are evident in current pupils’ books and school information. The school assessments of pupils’ skills in reading and test results show that progress is improving and standards are rising throughout the school.
• Similarly, staff training in the teaching of mathematics is reaping benefits. The improvements to progress seen in the 2018 results are continuing.
• Improvements to the teaching of writing are slower to embed. Although improving, pupils’ progress in writing varies across year groups.
• Disadvantaged pupils’ progress was weak in reading, writing and mathematics in 2017, and in reading and writing in 2018, compared to other pupils nationally. Mathematics progress showed improvement, and the standards reached by disadvantaged pupils shows improvement over the last three years.
• Disadvantaged pupils currently in school make uneven progress. Progress is stronger in mathematics than in reading and writing.
• The most able pupils’ progress varies. The 2018 provisional results indicate some improvements to attainment at higher standards and greater depth. However, pupils attained less well than other pupils nationally in mathematics at the end of key stage 2 and in writing at the end of key stage 1. Pupils’ books and school information indicate that the progress of the most able pupils remains uneven.
• Pupils with SEND in mainstream school make similar progress to their peers. However, as a result of closer attention to meeting their individual needs, pupils who attend the school’s resource provision make stronger progress than other pupils in school.
• Pupils’ progress in the wider curriculum varies, for example, in subjects such as history and geography. It is not consistently good. Progress in science is stronger in key stage 1, and this is reflected in the above-average standards reached at the end of this key stage.
• Typically, most pupils reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics check. In recent years, the proportion of pupils attaining this standard has been above national averages. The 2018 results showed a dip in this standard. However, current pupils are making good progress in acquiring phonics knowledge.

Early years provision Good

• Children enter the early years with skill levels that are often typical for their age, but are weaker in reading and writing. Due to effective teaching, children make good progress and they catch up in their early reading and writing skills. Disruption in staffing contributed to a dip in the proportion of pupils meeting and exceeding a good level of development in 2017. In 2018, this proportion had risen again to be just above the national average. Current children are making good progress, particularly in their early writing skills.
• The early years leader has a good knowledge of the provision. She ensures that children’s progress is closely monitored, and that support is put in place for children who may need to catch up.
• Children are happy, settled and enjoy their learning. They engage well in their self- chosen activities, showing confidence to select their own learning. For example, children in Nursery class cooperated well in role play to serve one another cakes. Children in Reception classes focused well on making guitars from boxes, string and other materials.
• Staff establish warm, positive relationships with children. This helps to promote children’s confidence and good progress. Staff question children effectively to make them think. For example, Nursery children making porridge were asked why they needed to collect four spoons, and they knew that it was ‘because there are four children here’.
• Children show a keen interest in early writing skills as they write letter sounds in chalk in the outdoor area and write on whiteboards indoors. Staff develop children’s knowledge of letter sounds well, encouraging them to identify the letters or words they have written.
• Staff have a good knowledge of children’s skills and capabilities. Staff use this information well to provide activities and resources that interest children and develop learning effectively. Children enjoyed using magnets to test what objects would stick to them. In the outdoor area, they focused well on a bubble-blowing activity, describing colours and using their imagination to say what they had created.
• Children behave well in Nursery and Reception classes. They are familiar with the routines and respond well to the expectations of staff. Children show confidence in selecting their own snack and sit sensibly to eat and drink with other children.
• Children are secure in their surroundings and show a good awareness of how to use scissors and other equipment safely.
• Staff establish a positive partnership with parents. Parents are encouraged to share observations of their children’s learning. Regular newsletters, the provision of workshops and conversations with staff help parents to know how to support their children’s learning at home. This positive partnership contributes to children’s good progress.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 106076 Stockport 10045873 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 Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 561 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Jan Clayton Helen Mastrolonardo Telephone number 0161 427 9168 Website Email address www.rosehill.stockport.sch.uk headteacher@rosehill.stockport.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 7–8 May 2014

Information about this school

• This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.
• The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average. The proportion of pupils who have statements of special educational needs, or an education, health and care plan is above average.
• The school is resourced by its local authority to provide a 14-place provision for pupils with moderate to severe learning difficulties. Most pupils attending have been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder.
• The school operates a breakfast and after-school club for its pupils.
• There have been significant changes to staffing and senior leadership since the last inspection. A temporary headteacher was in post for six months of the 2017/2018 academic year due to the absence of the permanent headteacher.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed learning throughout the school. Two observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher. In addition, inspectors scrutinised pupils’ workbooks and listened to pupils read.
• Meetings were held with pupils, the chair of the governing body and four other governors, the headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspectors also held a meeting with a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors looked at a range of information produced by the school, including information on pupils’ progress and attainment, behaviour and attendance, procedures for safeguarding and the school’s own evaluation of its work. Inspectors also considered reports to the governing body, minutes of their meetings and the school’s plans for further improvement.
• Inspectors considered the 140 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent view, and the views of 137 parents, who communicated via text message to Ofsted.
• Inspectors also took account of the 57 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire. There were no responses to the online pupil questionnaire to consider.

Inspection team

Elaine White, lead inspector Craig Richardson David Deane OBE

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector