Sileby Redlands Community Primary School

Sileby Redlands Community Primary School King Street, Sileby, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 7LZ

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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This is a good school

 The headteacher is determined that every pupil will receive a good education and achieve well. He ensures that his staff set high expectations for pupils and that teaching is good. He monitors the quality of teaching closely and ensures that staff are helped to develop their skills continually.  Leaders and governors know the school well and work together closely to ensure that pupils are well cared for and make good progress.  Teaching is good because teachers have a secure knowledge of the subjects they teach and they plan interesting lessons for pupils.  Teaching assistants are effective in supporting those who need to catch up.  Pupils listen to their teachers and work hard in lessons.  The school teaches fundamental British values particularly well. As a result, pupils are respectful, well behaved and enjoy the opportunities that staff give them to make decisions for themselves.  Pupils feel safe in school and are taught to protect

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This is a good school

themselves from a range of risks they might face.  Children make strong gains in the early years. The early years leader, who is highly skilled, builds their literacy skills and enthuses them with the urge to find out as much as possible. Exceptional outdoor provision in Reception makes children want to explore and really learn as much as they can.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Sometimes, teaching does not challenge the most- able pupils. Work does not always make them think hard and, as a result, they do not make the progress of which they are capable.  Gaps between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and that of others, while closing, remain too wide. A few disadvantaged pupils are still not achieving as well as others.  The school’s development plan does not make it clear enough how the intended actions for improvement will take place, or who will check on them.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it consistently challenges the most-able pupils and enables them to make rapid gains.  Ensure that the remaining gaps in achievement between disadvantaged pupils and others are closed quickly.  Ensure that the school’s development plan states how all actions for improvement will take place, along with who will check that these actions have been completed, when and precisely how.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher has a created a very caring culture throughout the school that emphasises the development of ‘the whole child’, as well as striving to ensure that all groups of pupils make good progress and achieve well. He leads by example and knows the many things the school does well, as well as those areas that need further improvement.  The headteacher leads a united and effective team of staff. Inspectors met a large number of them during the inspection. They were keen to explain how they share each other’s expertise and skills to ensure that their teaching is good. The headteacher has ensured that morale among staff is high, and that they are encouraged to try new things to make teaching as effective as possible. All staff are valued, regardless of their role, and teaching assistants are fully involved in the teaching that takes place in classrooms.  Subject leaders have a good knowledge of how pupils are progressing, what aspects of the teaching of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

English and mathematics are proving most effective, and in which classrooms this is happening. They examine pupils’ work regularly to see where pupils are not making the gains they need to, and they keep senior leaders and governors well informed, producing action plans for further improvement. Subject leaders also contribute well to the ‘leadership networks’ that the multi-academy trust has set up, which aims to ensure that teaching across all schools in the trust continues to improve.  Leaders and the multi-academy trust provide useful and effective professional development for staff to improve their skills. This is particularly the case for newly qualified teachers, who are being supported well by their more experienced colleagues. This is helping to ensure that their teaching is increasingly effective and that their pupils make good progress in every lesson.  Senior leaders ensure that the process of appraisal for teachers is effective in improving their skills.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Leaders give teachers challenging targets to meet. These are linked directly to their classroom performance, as well as improving their skills in their areas of responsibility. Governors are not afraid to take tough decisions to withhold salary rises if teachers’ effectiveness does not show continuous improvement.  The curriculum is broad and balanced, and is designed well so that pupils are enthusiastic about their lessons. They learn through a series of topics such as ‘Cats, claws and whiskers’, where they find out about animal habitats and the stages of growth of living things. In ‘Land ahoy!’, pupils discover why different things float or sink, as well as the many forms of transport. Each topic begins with an exciting trip or visit for pupils, which captures their imagination. For example, before pupils learned about flight, a falconer visited the school and pupils saw for themselves the power of birds of prey to swoop down and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

land. Leaders ensure that the impact of learning during the school day is enhanced through a wide variety of after-school and extra-curricular activities, such as story writing, street dance and young voices. These are well attended and pupils say that they enjoy them greatly.  Leaders spend the primary physical education and sports funding effectively, providing sports coaches and other opportunities to ensure that large and increasing numbers of pupils both enjoy and participate in sporting events. These include dance, gymnastics, netball, cross-country running and swimming. Pupils also learn the spirit of ‘fair play’, and to both win and lose games honourably.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effective. Assemblies and curriculum work mean that pupils become imaginative, confident young people who understand the difference between right and wrong. They appreciate the wonder of nature and engage in the many opportunities adults give them

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

to both listen to the views of others and to express their own. High-quality, eye-catching displays around the school enhance pupils’ understanding of different countries and religions. As a result, they receive a good, broad picture of the world and its people.  Senior leaders ensure that pupils develop fundamental British values extremely well. This is because they check that staff teach pupils about the history, culture and heritage of Britain and how, over time, these have produced today’s society and its shared values. Pupils are taught about both patron saints and English monarchs, as well as receiving class visits from local police officers, who tell them about the importance of the rule of law.  Visitors to school who have faiths that are different from pupils’ own, such as members of the Sikh community, help pupils to understand the wide variety of beliefs and cultures in the world. Because of all

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

these experiences, pupils become respectful of others. They follow the school’s rules, enjoy the freedom of giving their opinions, and value the democratic opportunities they receive. They elect each other to the school’s ‘pupil parliament’, where different members have roles to choose, among other things, which sports are played in tournaments with other schools. In Year 2, pupils have voted to name the class teddy-bear mascot ‘Oliver’.  A very large majority of parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, during the inspection believe that the school is well led and managed. They say that they would recommend the school to others, believing that leaders have created a caring environment that allows pupils to flourish. One parent explained how the school ‘is a breath of fresh air. The team consistently provide opportunities for my children, not only in a classroom environment, but also outside of that in a creative and exciting

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

way. Quality leadership is evident in the day-to-day practices and the fact that my children come home from school happy and enthusiastic about their learning experiences’. Another parent commented, ‘I could not wish for a better school for my two children to attend’.  The pupil premium funding is spent well overall. Leaders ensure that a great deal of this money is used to provide support that will directly improve disadvantaged pupils’ skills in reading, writing and mathematics. As a result, most of these pupils are making effective progress to help them catch up with other pupils in the school, and others nationally. Leaders know that some gaps, although closing, remain wide and that not all pupils are making good gains.  Leaders have written a school development plan that correctly identifies the priorities for improvement and sets out sensible and appropriate changes needed to address these areas. However, the plan does

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

not state clearly enough who will check that these actions have taken place, or exactly when this will be done. This risks leaders and governors not being aware if improvements have not taken place, or a delay in when they occur.  The governance of the school Governors play an effective strategic role in ensuring that pupils make good progress. They share the ambitions of the headteacher to continue to improve all aspects of the school. They can explain confidently what staff are doing to help bring this about. Governors have an effective understanding of what the school does well and accurately judge the school’s effectiveness to be good. They challenge senior leaders by asking them searching questions and they ensure that the school budget is properly spent. Governors also understand the importance of good teaching and oversee well the arrangements for managing the performance of teachers. Governors confirm that they are well supported by the multi-academy trust. They explained to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

inspectors how the wide variety of training that the trust provides helps them to fulfil their role in holding senior leaders to account, improving their understanding of good teaching and in ensuring that pupils are safe. Governors also receive regular visits and information from representatives of the trust. These provide useful reports to them about aspects such as the quality of teaching and guiding them on upcoming priorities for their attention.  Leaders’ arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are trained regularly, including in areas of recent national concern, such as extremism. Inspectors spoke to a large number of staff during the inspection, and noted that they could identify the warning signs of potential abuse. They were also confident in knowing the procedures to report any concerns. The school’s single central register, and other aspects of safeguarding, meet requirements. Senior leaders work quickly with parents and external

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

agencies to ensure that pupils they identify to be at risk of harm are helped. Good relationships between home and school mean that leaders address concerns as quickly as possible. However, leaders have no hesitation in taking further steps if they believe that agencies are not acting effectively enough.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers’ secure subject knowledge makes pupils feel that they are being taught by confident and skilled adults. This makes pupils want to listen hard and do their best. Teachers’ questioning skills make pupils think and enable teachers to check whether pupils have understood what they are learning. Teachers then use this information to record effectively how much progress each pupil is making. Where pupils are not making the gains they need in understanding, knowledge or skills, teachers quickly organise support strategies for those pupils who need to catch up.  The warm, caring relationships that staff begin to develop in the early years are continued and built on as pupils grow. Pupils feel that staff want to listen to their ideas and thoughts and this, in turn, makes pupils respect them. Teaching assistants are particularly well used to support learning, with close, trusting relationships with pupils that promote pupils’ independence and make them want to work hard.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers ensure that lessons move on at an appropriate pace. In most instances, this is brisk. However, teachers also give regular opportunities for pupils to pause and reflect on important issues or themes. As a result, pupils learn to consider carefully what they are learning and to explain why they have given their answers.  The headteacher and subject leaders conduct regular observations of teaching to check that pupils are learning well. Senior leaders give teachers valuable feedback that, as well as recognising the strengths in their approaches, helps them to consider any aspects where they are less effective. Teachers greatly appreciate the conversations about teaching that they have with senior leaders and say that this helps them to improve.  Too often, the most-able pupils are given work that is undemanding. Inspectors noted occasions when these pupils were not fully absorbed with the learning. These pupils believed that the work they were

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

given was often ‘too easy’. Inspectors also examined pupils’ work during their visit. This confirms that these pupils do not make the rapid progress that they are capable of because the worksheets and tasks they are set are not sufficiently challenging.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils know that they need to eat in healthy ways, and they like to stay active. In addition to having weekly physical education lessons, they told inspectors about a wide range of sporting clubs that the school provides. These ensure that pupils get plenty of exercise. Leaders also employ a sports coach to give pupils regular opportunities to take part in games at breaktimes.  Teachers from the early years onwards ensure that they teach pupils how to learn. They help pupils to understand the importance of persisting when they make a mistake, or where the work is tricky. As a result, pupils develop a confidence in their learning from a young age. Pupils whom the inspectors met told them that they were not worried about making occasional mistakes, because this was a natural thing and showed them what they needed to learn next.

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Personal development and welfare

 Staff give pupils many good opportunities to take on responsibilities. For example, younger pupils have monitoring roles in the classroom, while older pupils help in the school office and distribute the registers. As a result, pupils feel that they are making a real contribution to the orderly running of the school.  Teachers help pupils to understand why bullying is wrong and what they must do should they ever encounter it. Pupils have made a series of imaginative short video drama films about this to help other pupils. Leaders have displayed these on the school’s website. Pupils whom the inspectors met were keen to say that they felt safe in school. They said that they could approach any member of staff if they had any worries, and that the adult would listen to them and help them.  Staff teach pupils well about a range of risks that they may face. As well as knowing about the dangers of strangers, roads and rivers, pupils have a good understanding of why it is important not to give their

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Personal development and welfare

personal details when they use the internet. They were also able to explain to inspectors how, if they received a message or photograph on a mobile phone or computer that worried them, they would tell an adult quickly.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. The headteacher ensures that all staff model the behaviour and attitudes that they expect to see. Staff are polite and courteous to each other, and to pupils. They set clear and consistent expectations for pupils’ behaviour and expect pupils to behave well also. As a result, classrooms are orderly, working environments where pupils work happily together, cooperate, share ideas and give each other support to improve. Inspectors saw no disruption to learning at all during their visit. The small number of pupils who find it difficult to control their behaviour are also well managed.  Pupils move about the school in an orderly way, opening doors for visitors and being polite to others. They wear their uniform smartly and say that they are proud to be a part of Sileby Redlands. Pupils help keep the school tidy, with the ‘eco warriors’ setting a good example and promoting the idea that litter is

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Behaviour

everyone’s problem. As a result, pupils will pick litter up whenever they see it and they keep the school looking attractive and neat.  Instances of bullying and name-calling are rare. Pupils say that everyone behaves well and, if someone is being unkind, teachers and other staff will deal with it effectively so that the person understands what they are doing is wrong, and everyone can become friends again.  Behaviour is not outstanding because, for the previous two years, the proportion of pupils who were persistently absent was above the national average. During this time, absence for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals was also higher than the national figure for the same group. The school has worked well with the families involved and, as a result, the amount of persistent absence is now lower than that found nationally. The attendance rate for pupils eligible for free school meals is also climbing

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Behaviour

and these pupils are attending much more regularly. Leaders agree that this improvement needs to continue and are doing all they can so that all pupils known to be eligible for free school meals attend each day unless there is a genuine reason for their absence.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Leaders are currently developing a new system of tracking pupils’ outcomes. At the time of the inspection, this was unable show the precise proportions of pupils who are achieving, or who are on track to achieve, the expectations for their ages. Inspectors therefore examined a large amount of pupils’ work, and discussed this with pupils, to confirm that the progress they make from their starting points is good.  The proportion of children who achieved a good level of development at the end of Reception rose sharply last year, and was above the national average. Children are on track for results to be at least as good, if not better still, this year.  The proportion of pupils who pass the Year 1 phonics screening check has increased for three successive years. Staff are confident that a proportion of pupils similar to the current national average will pass again this year.  Throughout key stage 1, pupils achieve well. The skills, knowledge and understanding of pupils currently

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Outcomes for pupils are good

in Year 2, for example, have improved from their previously low starting points and are now approaching those found nationally.  In key stage 2, pupils maintain their good rates of progress. Published information shows that, last year, most pupils left the school making at least the progress expected of them in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils who made more than expected progress was also at least in line with, or exceeding, the national averages in reading and writing. Girls in Year 6 made much less progress in mathematics in 2015, compared with girls nationally. However, work in current pupils’ books shows that boys and girls are making similarly good progress, including in mathematics. As a result of good progress, overall, pupils’ levels of skills, knowledge and understanding are broadly in line with those of other pupils nationally by the time they leave the school in Year 6. Pupils are therefore well prepared for

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Outcomes for pupils are good

secondary school.  Leaders noted that results in spelling, punctuation and grammar in 2014 were much lower than the national average. They quickly put in place improvements in teaching that resulted in improved scores last year. A new spelling scheme, together with regular lessons on how to write correctly, have improved pupils’ skills considerably.  Adults support effectively those pupils who have special educational needs or disability so that they make good progress compared with pupils nationally with similar starting points. An effective and caring coordinator for this area of responsibility ensures that these pupils receive good support that meets their needs. As a result, these pupils reach their potential.  Most disadvantaged pupils are making good and improving progress from their starting points. Attainment for some of these pupils is low because they have complex learning difficulties. A few disadvantaged

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Outcomes for pupils are good

pupils are not making the progress that they need to, however, and are too far behind their peers.  Not enough of the most-able pupils are making the rapid gains of which they are capable. As a result, these pupils do not attain highly enough by the time they leave the school.

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Early years provision is good

 The majority of children enter Reception with skills in literacy that are below those found typically in children of the same age. Owing to consistently effective teaching and a very strong emphasis on promoting speaking, reading and writing, children make the strongest gains in this area. The Reception classroom is a bright and lively place where children enthusiastically talk, work and play with each other, read books that capture their imagination, and begin to write.  All staff in the early years provision have very high expectations that all children can and must succeed, regardless of their circumstances. The early years leader is a highly skilled and knowledgeable professional who leads her team well. She ensures that she gathers useful information about the children from providers of pre-school settings so that children can get off to the best possible start from the moment they arrive. Once they are in her class, she assesses them accurately and ensures that all her

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Early years provision is good

staff use this information to plan precise learning to meet the needs of children of all abilities.  Staff work closely together, adjusting the learning well for children who have special educational needs or disability to ensure that they make good progress. Pupil premium funding is used effectively to ensure that disadvantaged children catch up quickly, and the most-able children are given work that makes them think deeply. For example, inspectors noted that one child had learned to insert speech marks in the correct places within a lively story she had written about a dragon and a ‘disgusting’ knight.  The continual communication between parents and staff is a particular strength. Staff use creative ways, such as social media, to let parents know the things that different children have learned. Parents, in turn, upload evidence of their children’s achievements at home. This leads to a highly positive, ongoing

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Early years provision is good

relationship between home and school. Both parties are engaged in a shared dialogue to assess and celebrate together children’s progress.  Relationships between adults and children, and between children themselves, are warm. Children feel very safe, developing ideas and exploring new things together. The passion of the early years leader to ignite the potential in each child is unmistakable. She and her staff model, and continually use, language that encourages children to think, make links between ideas and to persist where they find things difficult.  The outdoor area is exceptionally effective. Children take joy in working and playing in the space provided, and staff provide resources to stimulate children’s imagination. A group of children were keen to show inspectors how they had built a settlement in the woods. Others were undertaking science work, gazing in wonder at the tadpoles that had just hatched in their pond.

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Early years provision is good

 The consistently high expectations of staff, and the good level of teaching, result in all children behaving very well and making at least good progress. By the time they leave Reception, they are well prepared for Year 1.  The provision in the early years is not yet outstanding because the strong levels of progress that children are currently making has not yet been maintained over a sustained period. Although outcomes rose last year, and are on track to be in line with, or above, the current national average this year, outcomes in 2014 were below the national average, with a lower proportion of boys achieving a good level of development than that found nationally.

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School details

Unique reference number 140101 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10010893

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 313 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Elizabeth Turner Headteacher Matthew Peet Telephone number 01509 812736 Website www.redlands.leics.sch.uk Email address admin@redlands.leics.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 17 March 2011

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium funding is lower than average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well below average. Most pupils are of a White British background.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is broadly average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum requirements for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school converted to become an academy in September 2013. It is a member of the Discovery Schools Academy Trust.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed each class in the school, some on more than one occasion. In total, they observed 17 lessons or parts of lessons. Inspectors also checked pupils’ behaviour at breaktime, lunchtime and as pupils moved about the school during the day.  Inspectors held meetings with senior and middle leaders in the school, including the special educational needs coordinator, the leader of the early years and the subject leader for mathematics and English. Inspectors also met with newly qualified teachers, members of the school’s governing body and a representative from Discovery Schools Academy Trust.  Inspectors discussed pupils’ work with them in lessons, heard pupils read aloud and met more formally with them in a group to discuss particular aspects of their experiences at the school.  Inspectors looked at a range of school documentation, including the school’s improvement plan, the school’s information for tracking pupils’ attainment and progress, minutes of meetings of the governing

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Information about this inspection

body and the school’s self-evaluation document. They also looked at a large sample of work in pupils’ books, anonymised records of the performance management of staff and school documentation relating to safeguarding. Inspectors also examined the school’s website.  Inspectors analysed the responses, including the comments made, from 111 parents and carers on Parent View, the Ofsted online questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Roary Pownall, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Moira Dales Ofsted Inspector Graham Boyd Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspection team

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

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