Rawmarsh Thorogate Junior and Infant School

Rawmarsh Thorogate Junior and Infant School Inspection report

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Age group 5–11 Inspection date(s) 24–25 January 2012 Inspection number 377489 Unique Reference Number 106910 Local authority Rotherham Inspection number 377489 Inspection dates 24–25 January 2012 Lead inspector Henry Moreton

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 203 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair C Hepworth Headteacher John Barnett Date of previous school inspection 20 May 2009 School address Thorogate Rawmarsh Rotherham S62 7HS Telephone number 01709 710033 Fax number 01709 523819 Email address thorogate@rotherham.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Introduction

Henry Moreton Michael Wintle Additional inspector Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Eighteen lessons were observed taught by eight teachers. Several of these lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher. Meetings were held with parents and carers, pupils, members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and staff. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school's work, and looked at the school’s self- evaluation. Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s mapping of pupils’ attainment and progress, the school improvement plan and documentation relating to safeguarding. Inspectors scrutinised case studies relating to individual pupils. Questionnaires were returned from pupils and staff, and 52 questionnaires from parents and carers were analysed.

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Information about the school

The school is of average size for a school of this type. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is average. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. Very few speak languages other than English at home. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is average. The school runs its own breakfast-club each morning.

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Information about the school

The headteacher took up his post in September 2007. There have been many changes in staff since the previous inspection in 2009. The school meets the current floor standards. The school has a number of awards and is a Partnership Plus school with Hallam University, some of whose students were in school during the inspection.

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Information about the school

The school houses an enhanced resourced unit for pupils which serves all of the local authority’s primary schools. The Year 5 and Year 6 pupils, some of whom have a statement of special educational needs for their behaviour, have been excluded or are at risk of being excluded from local authority schools. Pupils attend on a part- time basis. The aim of the unit is to reintegrate the pupils attending into their school for full-time education. The pupils who attend the unit remain on roll at their base school. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key Findings

 This is a satisfactory school. Pupils achieve satisfactorily from broadly average starting points. Their attainment and rates of progress are in line with those expected nationally so that by the time they leave Year 6, their skills in writing, reading and mathematics are at national levels. Attainment is on an upward trajectory. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress in line with similar groups nationally. Parents and carers feel the school meets their child’s particular needs.

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Key Findings

 Pupils behave well. They are polite and friendly. Their attendance is good and they arrive punctually. Parents and carers feel their children are safe and are well looked after. Most pupils say they feel safe and that bullying is rare and dealt with effectively. Staff feel that the behaviour of pupils is consistently well- managed.

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Key Findings

 The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers encourage pupils through their enthusiasm and secure classroom routines. They monitor their work closely in lessons and through good marking. Pupils are encouraged to work collaboratively and take responsibility for their learning. Assessment is not rigorous enough to ensure that teachers have an accurate picture of the progress pupils make from entry to school to leaving in Year 6.

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Key Findings

 The strength in the curriculum is in the way it promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well, but overall promotes satisfactory academic achievement. School leaders have successfully tackled most of the areas for improvement from the previous inspection. While the members of the governing body are fully supportive they have not ensured that school leaders accurately assess the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

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Key Findings

 Provision and outcomes of the social and emotional behavioural unit are good.

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Key Findings

Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

  Raise pupils’ achievement to at least good by: - establishing effective systems of on-entry assessments so that progress data is secure; and ensure accurate and regular assessment of what pupils know and can do in the Early Years Foundation Stage - increasing the amount of consistently good teaching throughout the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better by: - developing the contributions made by the teaching assistants - ensuring that school leaders have a secure understanding of the differences between satisfactory and good progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the leadership and governance so that self-evaluation is accurate by: - ensuring that all members of the governing body are actively engaged in evaluating the impact of teaching - ensuring that the interpretation of the data showing the progress made by pupils is accurate and is understood by all stakeholders.

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Achievement of pupils

Attainment is broadly average in English and mathematics. Parents and carers believe their children are making good progress. The school believes pupils make good progress. This is not accurate since the progress they make is satisfactory given their starting points.

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Achievement of pupils

Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage enter school at the expected levels and settle well. They learn the basic skills at the rate expected for their ages and stages of development. The vast majority of children are working within the phonic (understanding of letters and their sounds) levels expected nationally. Children have a satisfactory range of activities to choose from both indoors and outdoors. Their personal and social skills are developing appropriately.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils in Years 1 to 6 make satisfactory progress overall. Their learning in the classroom, as seen by inspectors, is satisfactory in reading, writing and mathematics. Over time, as evidenced by results and validated by the data held by the school, most pupils make satisfactory progress from their starting points. By the end of Key Stage 1 they reach average attainment in reading. Pupils make satisfactory progress in reading and writing with pupils of all abilities reaching the expected levels by the end of Key Stage 2. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress in reading as a result of support that is suitably matched to their individual needs. Pupils in the social, emotional and behavioural unit make good progress in reading because of the well-organised and targeted support.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils make satisfactory progress in mathematics, with pupils of all abilities reaching the expected levels by the end of Key Stage 2. This includes disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. The improvement in pupils’ achievement in mathematics is significant because the gap in performance compared with all pupils nationally has been eliminated. This reflects improved teaching, leadership and management of this subject since the previous inspection.

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Quality of teaching

Because of teaching that is satisfactory with good elements, pupils achieve satisfactorily over time. Half of the lessons observed by inspectors were satisfactory, the remaining half good. Broadly speaking, this matches the school’s evaluation of its teaching. Teaching is most effective when pupils are working in focus groups with the direct support of adults, and where the work set matches their needs. Teachers accumulate a wealth of data following the assessment of pupils' progress but analysis of what this shows about their learning over time is not accurate. Teachers mark pupils’ work conscientiously and make helpful suggestions as to what pupils need to do to improve their work. In many cases they do not then follow through to ensure pupils take on board what they are asked, for instance, by completing or re-doing the piece of work. Where expectations are not high enough the pace of learning slows, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Good displays support learning,

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Quality of teaching

as instanced by the ‘wow’ area in one classroom. Some teachers are developing pupils’ self-assessment skills well. Teachers’ assessment of pupils’ reading is usually extensive and school leaders ensure that teachers and other adults hear pupils read often. Teachers use praise well to encourage pupils, though sometimes this is over done for work that does not warrant it. In some lessons, the work of the teaching assistants is not directed closely enough by teachers, for instance, in the on-going assessments of pupils’ learning.

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Quality of teaching

Parents and carers are mainly happy with the teaching their children receive. This is well placed since the teaching is consistently satisfactory and none is inadequate. However, not enough teaching is consistently good or better to ensure that pupils make better progress. Many parents and carers of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage contribute well to their children’s learning by participating in the ‘stay and play’ in the mornings, which are welcoming and purposeful. Staff are keen to support mums and dads, and as one typically commented, ‘my questions about letter difficulties were dealt with well. They always are.’ In the Early Years Foundation Stage pupils make better progress when working under the teacher’s supervision in focussed groups.

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Quality of teaching

Most pupils think the teaching they receive is good. There is no discernible difference in the quality of teaching in the different Key Stages. The quality of teaching in the social, emotional and behaviour unit is good.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils’ attendance is above average. Pupils behave well in lessons. Some parents and carers comment that lessons are disrupted by bad behaviour but most are happy with the standards of behaviour as they are with levels of care. This reflects the views of some pupils. Inspectors saw no evidence of this, and the school's records indicate isolated incidents with no discernible pattern over time. Pupils listen attentively and do what teachers ask them. They work well in pairs and small groups and few need reminders to stay on task. Pupils of all abilities respond well to interesting and fast-paced lessons, especially where they are busy and active. In one design and technology lesson, for instance, a typical comment was, ‘I’m loving this’.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Most parents and carers are sure there is no bullying. Most pupils say that where it does occur it is dealt with well. Almost all pupils feel safe and understand what constitutes unsafe situations. Behaviour around the school is safe and orderly. Pupils respect the school, adults and other children. They act sensibly when moving around the school, such as at playtimes and lunchtimes and when in and out of activities, such as the reading club. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage quickly learn to share and play with others. Children are encouraged to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and very young children are given responsibilities. At other times, in some lessons, pupils are over-dependent on the adults. Pupils in the social, emotional and behavioural unit behave well in their classroom and when they spend time in the main school.

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Leadership and management

This is an improving school. Good relationships with parents and carers impact well on their child’s learning, including those with special educational needs and those with disabilities. School leaders have tackled most of the issues arising from the previous inspection effectively. Pupils’ outcomes in mathematics have improved as a result of better teaching. Middle leadership has been re-configured and is being developed, though its impact is not yet evidenced. Staff are committed to the ambition of school leaders, and they think the school is led and managed well.

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Leadership and management

The school’s success is seen in the upward trend in pupils’ attainment, an orderly school community and improvement across the board. Leaders and managers promote equality of opportunity and tackle discrimination at least satisfactorily. This is reflected by hosting the pupils in the social, emotional and behavioural unit and by including its staff, and where practical its pupils, fully in the life and work of the school. Arrangements to ensure that pupils are safe are good.

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Leadership and management

The monitoring of teaching and learning is generally accurate and broadly matches the profile of lessons seen by inspectors. Some middle managers are relatively new to post and the rigour of their work is yet to be demonstrated through accurate school self-evaluation. Senior school leaders use a range of appropriate tools to reach their findings, and do not simply rely on lesson observations. This gives them good sources of information. Nonetheless, the school’s evaluation of its work is over- generous, even though aspects of the school have improved since the last inspection.

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Leadership and management

The governing body has not developed its role enough since the previous inspection. It does not provide robust challenge to school leaders, nor does it rigorously evaluate the impact of teaching through the close analysis of the pupils’ progress data. There are no significant areas of underperformance in any part of the school and leaders have a satisfactory awareness of how different groups of pupils are performing. Because most of the areas arising from the previous inspection have been successfully addressed, results are on an upward trend and the whole school community is united in moving forward, the school has satisfactory capacity to sustain improvement.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. As a result, pupils have a clear understanding of the personal qualities necessary for living and working together. Pupils’ social development is effectively promoted through a wide range of enrichment activities. These include extracurricular clubs and visits to place of educational interest.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add up exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils' punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils' freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's main

findings from the inspection of their school.

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S62 7HS

Thank you for welcoming me and my colleague and making us feel so welcome when we inspected your school recently. It was a pleasure to meet you and to have time to talk to some of you about your work. I also thank you for filling out the questionnaires. We read every one of them and took what you had to tell us into account when reaching our judgements.

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S62 7HS

Our view is that your school is satisfactory and improving. The things that most impressed us are your behaviour and the way all the adults in the school look after you. You are making satisfactory progress, which means that by the time you leave school you are doing as well as all other children of your age. Your teachers are doing a satisfactory job, as are those responsible for running the school. That is the senior staff and the governing body. Your honest responses to the questions we asked you are important. They tell us that you like your school. You tell us that you learn a lot and, really importantly, you feel safe. One or two of you are concerned about some behaviour in lessons which isn’t always as good as you would wish, but otherwise you are reasonably happy.

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S62 7HS

We have asked the teachers to do some things to help you. They need to teach even more interesting lessons that really stretch you. You can help by letting your teachers know if this is working. We have asked staff to make sure they check your progress better. You can help here too by letting them know if things are too hard for you, and also if things are too easy. We have also asked the school’s governors to keep a closer check on how things are. We hope these things will help the school become even better for you.

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