Rawmarsh Rosehill Junior SchoolOfsted inspection, 27 Mar 2013

Rawmarsh Rosehill Junior School Kilnhurst Road, Rawmarsh, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S62 5QH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Although pupils’ achievement is improving, they do not do as well in English as they are capable of.  Although there is some good teaching this is not yet reflected in the outcomes in pupils’ books. Some of the work in their books is not good enough and does not match their capabilities.  Teachers do not always provide adequate challenge for some of the pupils particularly for the average and more-able pupils.  Marking is inconsistent in quality and does not always give pupils clear guidance on how they can improve.  Leaders have improved the quality of teaching over time by eradicating all inadequate teaching. However, it has not been sufficient improvement to have had a full impact on raising pupils’ achievement.  Subject and phase leaders do not make rigorous checks on pupils’ achievement in their areas of responsibility. They do not hold other staff to account for pupils’ performance in their subjects quickly enough.

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 The school is at the early stages of developing a more secure baseline for pupils when they join the school.

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The school has the following strengths

 Senior leaders have worked hard in creating a warm, welcoming and stimulating learning environment, that effectively celebrates pupils’ achievement and work displayed is of a high standard.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and they feel safe in school. Attendance is above average.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well.  Parents strongly support the school’s work.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed 11 lessons and two were jointly observed with the headteacher. The team observed a whole-school assembly.  The inspection team listened to pupils read and looked at a range of work in pupils’ books.  Meetings were held with key staff, two groups of pupils, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The inspection team looked at a range of documents, including governing body minutes, the school’s own information on pupil progress, improvement plans, the self-evaluation summary and records relating to safeguarding, attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors took account of the 12 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and others completed by staff. They also spoke to parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Sharona Semlali, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sue Eland Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Since the previous inspection two new phase leaders were appointed in September 2012 and have joined the senior leadership team.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is lower than average. The proportion learning English as an additional language is lower than that found nationally.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding is above average. (This pupil premium is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and children that are looked after.) Currently there are no children from service families in the school.  The proportion of disabled pupils or those with special educational needs who are supported at school action is similar to the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special

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Information about this school

educational needs is above the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school has achieved the International School award, Warwick Excellence in Enterprise Education award and the Healthy Schools Advanced award.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 In order to accelerate progress and raise achievement in English, ensure the quality of teaching is securely good or better by: - raising teachers’ expectations so pupils produce a high standard of written work in their books across all subjects so that it matches their capabilities - providing opportunities for teachers to observe some outstanding teaching in other schools - making sure that lessons provide greater challenge, particularly for average and more-able pupils - reducing the amount of time teachers talk in lessons so pupils are more active in their learning and have more time to work by themselves - ensuring that marking gives clear guidance to pupils as to how they can improve their work and provide pupils with quality time to reflect, respond and act on the advice given.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the effectiveness of leadership and management by: - ensuring that subject and phase leaders are making more rigorous checks on pupils’ achievement in their subjects and year groups - making sure that subject and phase leaders hold other staff to account for pupils’ performance in their subjects much more quickly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 In order to establish a secure baseline for pupils when they join the school, build on current procedures in assessing pupils’ achievement so they are more robust and rigorous.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because pupils’ progress varies throughout the different year groups and in the different subjects, particularly in reading and writing. Pupils start the school with broadly average skills and by the time they leave at the end of Key Stage 2 attainment is still broadly average.  Pupils’ writing displayed around the learning environment is of a high standard, including the quality of the way in which it is presented and the amount that is produced. However, this is not yet reflected in pupils’ books as they do not always produce enough work and the quality of presentation is not yet good enough in all subjects.  When inspectors listened to pupils read they read fluently and said that they liked reading. The more-able pupils shared their favourite books and talked about their favourite authors but felt that the range of books in the school was limited and therefore they tend to bring in their own

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

books from home.  The school uses new computer technology well to develop pupils’ motivation levels in reading. This was seen in a Year 5 guided reading session, where a small group enjoyed reading using the latest computer technology.  Attainment in mathematics has significantly improved since 2011. This is partly because there is a more consistent approach to the way pupils learn how to solve their number calculations. Pupils are given different types of resources to help them to understand different mathematical concepts. In a Year 5 mathematics lesson pupils weighed different objects using a range of equipment that helped them to successfully understand how to accurately read different types of scales.  Attainment in 2012 for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs was above the national average. However, they do not yet make good progress, this is similar to other pupils in the school.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium funding benefit from having small group support from both within and beyond the classroom. As a result the gap is closing between them and others in the school and their peers nationally. Attainment for this group of pupils, by the end of Year 6 in mathematics, is over a term ahead of the national average and is almost a term in front of the national figure in English.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because it has not been strong enough to have had a good impact on pupils’ achievement over time.  All teaching observed during the inspection was good and no inadequate or outstanding lessons were seen. This shows that the quality of teaching is improving but is not yet fully reflected in the pupils’ work. Teachers are at an early stage in observing good and outstanding practice in other schools.  Teachers do not always provide enough challenge, particularly for those of average ability and more-able pupils. In some lessons pupils finish their work more quickly than the teacher anticipated and have little more to do.  In some lessons teachers talk for too long to the whole class. As a result, pupils spend too long passively listening rather than being active in their learning and means that they have less time to produce enough when working by themselves.  The quality of marking is inconsistent throughout the school. It does not always give clear

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

guidance to pupils on how they can improve their work. Pupils are not always given quality time to act or respond to any advice that is given.  Teachers use computer technology well. In both Year 6 classes pupils enjoyed using the computers to investigate how to create their own moving animation that was linked to their recent visit to Filey.  In some lessons teachers effectively used their immediate displays, called ‘working walls’, to support pupils' learning. This also helped to encourage them to become more independent learners.  In most of the lessons the teaching assistants effectively supported pupils’ learning. When they worked with those that needed extra support, they used questioning well to probe pupils’ understanding. In a Year 5 guided reading session the teaching assistant used questioning effectively to develop their comprehension skills.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ attitude to learning is good and low-level disruption is uncommon. They are very eager, motivated and keen to learn. They have good manners and show respect to each other and to all adults.  Pupils respond well to the behaviour systems which are effectively managed by the school. Parents, staff and pupils are very positive about their behaviour. Pupils often take on different types of responsibilities around the school and they are fully committed to them. For example, a group of pupils who are the performing arts leaders organise and run a club for others that involves doing dance and drama. Some of the band leaders who know how to play different instruments, such as the drum, are now teaching others how to do this. Enterprise leaders organise fund-raising events to collect money for different charities of their choice.  Pupils say they feel safe and they know how to keep themselves safe. They are confident that

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

they can talk to any adults if they need to do so.  Pupils have a good awareness about bullying, including cyber and homophobic bullying. They say, ‘bullying is rare and it always gets sorted out’. All parents that responded to the online survey overwhelmingly agreed that the school deals effectively with any bullying incidents.  The school manages a well-led breakfast club. This has helped to improve pupils’ social skills giving them a more settled start to the day.  Attendance is improving and is above average.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Since the last inspection the school’s leaders have improved the quality of teaching. All inadequate teaching has been eradicated. However, it is not yet securely good. Even though achievement is improving, pupils are not doing as well as they are capable of, particularly in English.  All teachers and support staff have performance targets that are related to pupil outcomes and to the school priorities. Their rewards, with an increase in their salaries, are linked to pupils’ achievements. These procedures are reviewed and updated regularly.  Phase leaders, who are responsible for particular year groups, are in the early stages of learning about their roles and responsibilities. Both subject and phase leaders are learning how to check pupils’ achievements in their areas but they do not yet hold other staff to account for how well pupils are achieving in their subjects quickly enough. Currently, this work is mostly undertaken

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The leadership and management requires improvement

by the headteacher.  Senior leaders have created an improved tracking system that helps them to monitor any underachievement much more quickly. This is helping them to promote greater equality of opportunity for all pupils to do well as it informs their decisions as to where they need to deploy any resources to those who need extra support.  Senior leaders are in the early stages of ensuring that pupils have a secure baseline when they join the school, by improving the rigour of its current systems.  The curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well through assemblies and its international work with another school abroad. It is particularly strong in the opportunities that are provided for sport and the performing arts. ‘The Meteorite’ and ‘The Writing Projects’ have helped pupils to talk excitedly about their experiences. However, the curriculum has not yet had a fully positive impact on pupils’ achievement in English and does not

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The leadership and management requires improvement

always provide enough challenge.  Parental engagement and support for the school are strong. Parents feel that their children are happy at the school.  The local authority has encouraged the school to share its strengths with local schools and others beyond the immediate learning community.  The governance of the school: - This is a strong governing body that has clear views about the schools’ strengths and weaknesses. They know how the pupil premium funding is spent and know its impact. They receive and understand data about the school’s performance and have a sufficient understanding on the quality of teaching. They know how the school rewards teachers for good teaching. The performance management of the headteacher and all staff is in place and governors have received relevant training. Governors carry out their duties well including ensuring that all safeguarding policies and procedures meet requirements so that pupils are

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 106875 Local authority Rotherham Inspection number 400869

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 198 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Diane Douglas Headteacher Martin Wagstaff Date of previous school inspection 7 July 2010 Telephone number 01709 710574 Fax number 01709 719695 Email address rawmarsh-rosehill.junior@rotherham.gov.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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