Roding Primary School

Roding Primary School Roding Lane North, Woodford Bridge, Woodford Green, London, IG8 8NP

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher, working closely with her senior colleagues and the governing body, has improved the quality of teaching so that it is now consistently good. As a result, pupils throughout the school make good progress and achieve well.  Teachers make their expectations clear to pupils and establish good working relationships with them. Teachers mark pupils’ work thoroughly and make sure that they know what to do to make their work even better.  Pupils’ positive attitudes make a good contribution to their learning. They behave well in the classroom and around the school.  Pupils feel safe in school and say they have few concerns about bullying because, on the rare occasions when it occurs, staff deal with it effectively.  The school’s provision for hearing-impaired pupils is outstanding. Staff are acutely aware of these pupils’ needs and are expert in meeting them. Pupils both within and outside of the school

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

benefit greatly from their expertise.  The school’s promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Pupils learn to value people with different abilities and those who come from a range of backgrounds.  The school’s curriculum provides pupils with a variety of good opportunities for learning about different subjects and the wider world. School leaders have increased the range of out-of-school activities available to pupils and have made sure that all can benefit from them.  Members of the governing body know the school very well and have contributed strongly to its continuing improvement. They hold school leaders rigorously to account and set them ambitious targets to make sure that teaching becomes even better, and that pupils make even faster progress.  Children in the Nursery and Reception classes make a good start to their formal education and make good progress. This is because the staff teach them

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

well and give them activities which engage their interest.  Parents express positive views about the school and most say they would recommend it to others.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The quality of teaching is not yet consistently high enough to result in pupils making outstanding progress.  Teachers do not always insist on pupils working as hard as they could throughout lessons, so that they can make as much progress as possible.  Not all leaders are having a strong enough impact on improving teaching and learning in the areas for which they are responsible.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils learning in 22 lessons, seeing all the classes in the school, as well as some smaller groups. Five of these observations took place together with the headteacher or the deputy headteacher. The inspectors also attended two assemblies and made several short visits to a number of other lessons and school activities. They heard some pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors held meetings with groups of pupils, and the Chair and three other members of the Governing Body, as well as members of staff and a representative from the local authority. Inspectors also held informal discussions with a number of parents and carers.  Inspectors examined a variety of school documents, including records of pupils’ attainment and progress, and records of attendance.  Inspectors looked at safeguarding procedures, the school’s self-evaluation, and its processes for setting

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Information about this inspection

targets for teachers and monitoring staff’s performance, as well as a range of other school documents.  Inspectors considered 62 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, as well as two messages from parents. They also took account of 50 questionnaires completed by members of staff.

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Inspection team

Robin Gaff, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  Children join the early years provision in either the Nursery or one of the two Reception classes. Children in the Nursery class attend either the morning or the afternoon session, while those in the Reception class come to school for the whole day.  The proportions of pupils who are from minority ethnic backgrounds and of those who speak English as an additional language are well above average.  The proportion of the school’s pupils who are supported by the pupil premium is in line with the national average. This is additional government funding provided for disadvantaged children who are looked after by the local authority or who are known to be eligible for free school meals.  An above-average proportion of pupils join or leave the school at other than the normal times for transfer.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average.

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Information about this school

 The school has specially resourced provision, managed by the governing body, for pupils with hearing impairment. There are currently 41 such pupils attending the provision either full or part time.  The Nursery class also includes a small number of two-year-old children with hearing impairment. This provision is subject to separate inspection arrangements.  School staff undertake outreach work throughout the local authority area to support hearing-impaired pupils up to the age of 16 years.  A very small number of pupils attend a local special school, New Rush Hall School, on a part-time basis.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  An independent company operates a breakfast and after-school club for the school’s pupils. This provision is inspected separately.

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Information about this school

 There have been several changes in staffing since the school’s last inspection. These include a number of teachers who have responsibility for particular aspects of the school’s work. The headteacher was appointed to her current post in January 2014, having previously held the role of associate headteacher.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teaching is consistently of the highest quality, so that pupils make outstanding progress from their starting points.  Make sure that teachers always insist on pupils maintaining their effort at a high rate throughout lessons.  Ensure that all staff who have leadership responsibilities contribute fully to the improvement of teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The strong, astute leadership of the headteacher, who is ably supported by her senior colleagues, has resulted in acceleration in the school’s improvement, already noted by the previous inspection report. Together, they have made sure that the school is a harmonious and well-ordered community where good teaching and good behaviour are the rule.  Leaders’ successful measures to improve the quality of teaching have resulted in pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6 rising at a faster rate than found in others schools nationally. This is because leaders have been particularly effective in improving teachers’ subject knowledge in areas where it was relatively weak, including mathematics and phonics (the sounds that letters make).  Leaders set demanding targets for teachers in terms of raising pupils’ achievement, including those who are supported by extra funding. They make sure that teachers receive the support they need to improve

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The leadership and management are good

their practice by, for example, providing them with coaching or enabling them to attend appropriate courses. Teachers new to the school or to the profession spoke warmly of the support and encouragement they had received from their colleagues, as well as from senior leaders. The headteacher also ensures that any pay increases are linked explicitly to teachers’ success in meeting their targets.  The local authority has kept a close eye on the school’s progress since its last inspection. The well-tailored training and support which it has provided have made a significant contribution to the school’s ongoing development.  The school works closely with others in the locality, including the nearby special school. This enables leaders to make sure, for example, that pupils who spend part of the week at this school attend regularly, behave well and make good progress.  Leaders make sure that the additional funding which the school receives to promote the achievement of

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The leadership and management are good

disadvantaged pupils is used well. This extra money has enabled the school to narrow gaps in attainment for eligible pupils as well as to enable them to take part in a wider range of school events.  The school has also made good use of funding provided to increase pupils’ participation in physical activity and to improve their skills. It has done this by providing a wider range of sporting and other physical activities and significantly increasing pupils’ participation rates, especially for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.  The school’s provision for hearing-impaired pupils has an extremely positive impact on all the school’s pupils, as well as those in other schools. All the school’s pupils learn to communicate in sign language and to value those with different abilities. The staff’s expertise is much appreciated by those in other schools because of the help and support Roding staff give them in helping to meet the needs of their own pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 These factors demonstrate leaders’ success in promoting equality of opportunity, both within and beyond the school, and in tackling any potential discrimination.  Pupils benefit from a broad curriculum which enables them to make good progress in academic and other subjects, and enhances their personal development. Pupils learn to understand and appreciate different cultures and traditions, including the many different languages which are spoken by pupils.  Pupils take part in a good range of special events, visits and out-of-school activities, including sporting competitions. Pupils learn the importance of respect for others’ views and of democratic decision-making through, for example, their participation in the work of the school council.  The school’s strong promotion of all aspects of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development results in them being well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils are robust and meet government requirements.  Most parents, including those who spoke directly to inspectors, as well as those who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, report favourably about the way the school responds to any concerns they may have. They are also pleased with the quality of the information they receive about their children’s progress and agree that they would recommend the school to other parents.  Middle leaders who have particular responsibilities, some of whom have been appointed relatively recently to their roles, are knowledgeable and keen to raise pupils’ achievement, and to promote their well-being. They are not all, as yet, fully effective in improving the quality of teaching and the rate of pupils’ progress by, for example, making the best possible use of information about pupils’ attainment.  The governance of the school:

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors are very much aware of how well the school’s pupils are achieving compared to those in other schools, and of the quality of teaching throughout the school. This is because they carefully examine the headteacher’s reports and also visit the school regularly to find out for themselves.  Governors also know in detail what senior leaders have done to challenge relatively weaker teaching. They fully support the school’s systems for ensuring that pay increases for teachers are closely related to their performance, especially in raising pupils’ achievement.  Governors make sure that that the school’s resources, including additional funding given for specific purposes, are used well for pupils’ benefit. They also ensure that school’s policies and procedures for safeguarding pupils are reviewed regularly.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils respond well to school leaders’ and teachers’ high expectation of them in terms of behaviour. Pupils’ positive and cooperative attitudes enhance their learning and enable lessons to proceed smoothly. Pupils say, and the school’s records confirm, that the staff deal well with any instances of poor behaviour.  The pride pupils take in their work is shown by the way they take care that written work is usually neat and well presented.  Around the school, pupils behave considerately towards others. Older pupils are quick to help younger ones if they are in distress. Pupils respond quickly to adults’ instructions and requests, for example when queuing up to go into assembly or for school lunch.  Occasionally, pupils do not work as hard as they could in lessons. This is usually because teachers do not require them to work with enough sense of urgency.  A very small minority of those parents who responded to the Parent View survey did not agree that the

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Behaviour

school makes sure that its pupils are well behaved or that it deals well with bullying. Inspectors’ examination of the school’s records, as well as what pupils told them about typical behaviour, do not endorse these concerns.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school. A very large majority of their parents agree that this is the case and that the school looks after their children well. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in different situations, for example when using the internet.  Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying, such as persistent unkindness and name- calling. They report, however, that they have few concerns about bullying because, while it does happen occasionally, the school deals with any instances swiftly and effectively so that it does not recur.  Leaders make sure that the school’s premises are secure. They have succeeded in raising the attendance of pupils whose absences were hampering their progress.  School leaders’ close working relationships and regular contact with staff at New Rush Hall School mean that leaders know that Roding pupils who attend this school are safe and behave well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make sure that pupils know what is expected of them in terms both of work and behaviour. Their good subject knowledge and their ability to explain tasks clearly lead to pupils learning topics accurately and in sufficient depth.  Teachers’ increased expertise in, for example, phonics and in calculation techniques has led to pupils making faster progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teachers have improved their use of information about pupils’ attainment and the progress they are making. This helps them to plan activities for pupils which are well suited to their different abilities. Teachers make sure that the most-able pupils in each year group are given work which is challenging enough to enable them to reach the highest levels.  Disabled pupils, including those with hearing impairment, and those with special educational needs, benefit from teaching which caters very well for their different needs. Class teachers work closely with

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The quality of teaching is good

teaching assistants to make sure that pupils receive the support they need. The quality of specialist teaching and support for hearing-impaired pupils is high, resulting in them making at least good progress.  Teachers mark pupils’ written work thoroughly and accurately. They know that pupils understand how to improve their work. This is because pupils regularly respond to teachers’ comments by correcting or extending what they have written.  Teaching is not yet outstanding because teachers do not always require pupils to work as purposefully as they could in order to learn as much as possible during lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the school in the Nursery and Reception classes with levels of knowledge and skills which are generally lower than those that are typical for their age. They make good progress throughout the school, so that, by the end of Key Stage 2, their attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is in line with national averages. This demonstrates good achievement, including for pupils from different backgrounds, as well as those who speak English as an additional language. Pupils who join the school at other than the normal times settle in quickly and achieve as well as their classmates.  The results of national assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 have not improved at as fast a rate as those at the end of Year 6. However, inspectors found that the quality of pupils’ written work, as well as their responses in lessons, showed that pupils in Years 1 and 2 are now making good progress over time.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and other subjects, such as science and history, and their ability to communicate confidently and accurately, show their good preparation for secondary education.  Pupils read with increasing fluency, expression and understanding as they move up the school. Pupils of all ages talk enthusiastically about the books they have enjoyed reading.  Pupils gain a good understanding and command of the rules of English spelling, punctuation and grammar. This enables them to write accurately, as well as in different styles and for a range of purposes, such as stories and newspaper reports.  The school’s successful focus on improving mathematics teaching means that pupils can now apply their secure understanding of mathematical principles and processes to solving increasingly complex problems.  The school has raised attainment and increased the rate of progress of its most-able pupils. This is

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The achievement of pupils is good

because teachers make sure that these pupils are given activities which are demanding enough to enable them to reach their potential. For example, in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, high-attaining pupils enjoyed using their extremely well-developed calculation skills in completing designs for spaceships.  All groups of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, including those with hearing impairment, make good, and sometimes outstanding, progress from their starting points. They develop in self-confidence, as well as their knowledge and skills, because teachers provide them with activities which are very well matched to their abilities. Staff also give these pupils the support and encouragement they need to overcome the potential barriers to success which they face.  Disadvantaged pupils throughout the school make good progress and achieve well. In mathematics, reading and writing in the 2014 national tests, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils showed that,

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The achievement of pupils is good

overall, they were less than half a term behind other pupils in the school. Their attainment was under two terms behind that of other pupils nationally. In 2012, however, the equivalent group’s attainment had been more than a term behind other pupils in the school and almost two and a half terms behind that of other pupils nationally. This shows that the school has been successful in narrowing considerably the gaps between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and that of other pupils, both within the school and nationally.  School leaders make sure that pupils who attend part time at a local special school achieve well by liaising closely with the staff there to ensure that the pupils’ needs are being successfully met.  Pupils make good progress in lessons. When, occasionally, learning is slower than it could be, this is usually because teachers have not ensured that the tasks they have given pupils are resulting in them

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The early years provision is good

 Children make good progress in their learning and development, both in the Nursery and the Reception classes.  Many children start school with weaker communication skills than normally found in children of their age group. By the time they leave the Reception class most of these children have caught up with the others. The knowledge and skills children acquire show that they are well prepared to start Key Stage 1.  Teaching is good. Staff quickly identify the individual needs of disadvantaged and disabled children, and those who have special educational needs. They regularly assess children’s progress and work closely with parents, as well as outside professionals when appropriate, to plan activities which suit children’s particular interests and abilities. This ensures that children are able to thrive.  Children make a good start in learning to read and write because adults model sounds and letters

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The early years provision is good

correctly, and make sure that children can recognise them and reproduce them accurately. Adults also give children good opportunities, both indoors and outdoors, to develop their counting and measuring skills.  Adults set clear boundaries for children and make sure that they know how they expect them to behave. As a result, children’s behaviour is usually good. They learn the importance of good manners, and how to play and to work cooperatively with others. Children learn to concentrate and are mostly attentive to teachers when they talk to the whole class or to small groups.  Staff make sure that children are safe and secure, and help them to learn to keep themselves safe, for example as they use equipment outdoors.  Leaders have a good understanding of the needs and expected rates of development of children in the early years. Their accurate assessment of the provision’s strengths and relative weaknesses has enabled

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The early years provision is good

them to improve its effectiveness, including the quality of teaching.  The early years provision is not yet outstanding because leaders have not yet ensured that teaching is of a high enough quality to enable children to make outstanding progress in their learning and development.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 102830 Local authority Redbridge Inspection number 453537

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 524 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Terry Ward Headteacher Helen Radmore Date of previous school inspection 13–14 March 2013 Telephone number 020 8504 3706 Fax number 020 8506 1943 Email address admin.roding@redbridge.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 and 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

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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