Rose Hill Primary School

Rose Hill Primary School Derby Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 8DL

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

p.1

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher has worked hard to tackle the areas of weakness since the last inspection. However, progress has been slower than expected due to the need to both support and challenge weaker teaching.  Inconsistencies in the effectiveness of teaching have limited the school’s capacity to improve.  Teaching does not challenge pupils sufficiently to maximise their learning in subjects such as science and history. Therefore, pupils do not achieve well enough across all the curriculum areas.  Teaching does not provide pupils with sufficient opportunities to apply their knowledge to their independent work quickly enough. As a result, pupils lose interest, and the progress they make is too slow.  In some year groups, the most able pupils are not being sufficiently challenged in mathematics and therefore do not make good enough progress from their starting points.  Although, over time, achievement for pupils in

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

reading, writing and mathematics is improving, progress has been hindered in some year groups as a consequence of poorer teaching.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders have worked hard to ensure that all staff are committed to improving the school. Consequently, staff are keen to develop their skills so that they contribute towards the leaders’ vision to raise standards.  Leaders use the information from their accurate assessment system to plan, review and adapt the support given to disadvantaged pupils. As a result, disadvantaged pupils are achieving well.  Teaching is improving. School leaders are challenging the quality of teaching, learning and assessment through rigorous performance management.  Children in the early years make better than expected progress, from low starting points, in phonics, reading and writing. As a result, children are ready for key stage 1.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and learning by ensuring that: – time in lessons is used effectively to maximise the amount of progress pupils make – teaching provides a consistently high level of challenge for all groups of pupils – teachers provide work that challenges the most able pupils in mathematics to use and apply their skills so that a greater proportion of pupils reach the higher standard by the end of key stage 2 – subject leaders use the systems for tracking pupils’ progress in other subjects, such as science and history, to ensure that progress for all pupils is as rapid as in English and mathematics.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The school’s robust induction process ensures that new staff are fully aware of the school’s expectations, in terms of school priorities, policies and procedures. One senior leader said, ‘I felt really prepared and hit the ground running when I started in September’. This consistency has led to a shared vision towards school improvement.  The headteacher has been relentless in her efforts to improve outcomes for pupils. Leaders have provided training and support for staff to improve the quality of teaching and learning. However, frequent changes in staffing and difficulties in recruiting high- quality staff have contributed towards inconsistent teaching. As a result, in some year groups pupils do not make the progress that they should.  Leaders have developed good systems for analysing pupils’ achievement and progress across the school. Leaders analyse closely how well different groups of pupils are

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

achieving in each year group, and identify where some groups have made less progress than others. They recognise that there is a need for a higher proportion of pupils, particularly the most able, to make more than expected progress. Leaders are taking effective action to secure improvements where pupils are not making enough progress.  The school promotes the school’s vision, and its values of reflectiveness, resourcefulness, resilience, respect, responsibility and risk-taking, well through key- stage assemblies. For example, pupils are encouraged to think about what it means to be a good learner. Pupils respond saying that it means ‘trying your best’ and ‘trying not to get distracted’. These values are linked to the fundamental British values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance.  The school has worked hard to improve its parental communication since the last

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

inspection. The weekly newsletter ensures that parents are well informed about the teaching and learning happening in school. Additionally, parents are invited into school to see how English and mathematics are taught. Parents commented positively about the value of these events and said that it helps them to support their children at home.  Leaders make good use of the pupil premium to support disadvantaged pupils. Leaders identify carefully individual barriers to learning and the support required to overcome these. As a result, the proportion of disadvantaged pupils currently in the school making good progress compared with other pupils nationally, in reading, writing and mathematics, is improving.  Leaders have successfully raised awareness of the importance of being in school every day. For example, displays in the school’s reception are a reminder to pupils and parents. The headteacher has taken prompt action to deal with persistent absence. As

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

a consequence, attendance has significantly improved and is now above the national average.  Leaders use primary sport funding to support pupils’ enjoyment and achievement in physical education. Leaders have employed an experienced teacher to support teachers in offering a wider range of sports activities and have improved the range of sporting clubs on offer.  Every member of staff responding to the online inspection survey agreed that the school has improved since it was previously inspected. Other school leaders, governors and staff share the headteacher’s strong determination to build on recent improvements and provide pupils with high-quality education.  Learning contributes very well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and ensures that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils are encouraged to be aspirational. They are given experiences which improve their

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

understanding of the wider community. For example, the local mayor gave a talk in assembly about the work that he does, and the art club has been invited to exhibit its members’ work at the local university. This enables pupils to gain a greater understanding of the world around them.  Pupils are encouraged to see beyond their local community. The pupils’ project work on life in Kenya encourages them to see life outside of their country.

p.4

Governance of the school

 Governors have supported the headteacher well since the last inspection. They are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities and share the headteacher’s vision to raise pupils’ achievement. They acknowledge that the school is on a journey of improvement and have high aspirations to improve further and to reach outstanding.  As well as information gathered from their own visits, governors receive details from the headteacher about the quality of teaching and how teachers’ performance is monitored. Governors ask questions to make sure actions to move teaching forward, including tackling underperformance, are effective.  Governors ensure that financial decisions, such as the use of pupil premium funding, are properly monitored. They know how this funding is spent to support disadvantaged pupils and check that this is effective.  The governing body has monitored its own performance, and engaged with training to

p.4

Governance of the school

improve governors’ skills. Governors are ambitious for the school and determined to work even more closely with senior leaders to continue to bring about improvement.

p.4

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school carries out appropriate checks on those appointed to work at the school. Leaders ensure that staff undertake regular training to ensure that their knowledge of child protection procedures is up to date.  The governing body fulfils its responsibilities with regard to safeguarding and child protection.  Pupils told inspectors during the inspection that they feel safe in school and the large majority of parents who completed the Ofsted questionnaire also agreed that their child is safe in school.  All staff receive training in aspects of the ‘Prevent’ duty so that they know how to raise any concerns they have about pupils’ welfare and are able to spot signs of radicalisation.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teaching has not been good enough over time to promote consistently good progress. Teachers do not always set work that provides the right level of challenge for all pupils. Consequently, some pupils make less progress than they should.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment, although improving, is not consistent across the school. Therefore, pupils in some year groups do not make the progress they should.  The most able pupils do not make equally good progress in all year groups. In some classes too few achieve the higher levels of which they are capable.  In some classes, time for learning is not maximised. For example, sometimes teachers do not move the learning on quickly enough when pupils are ready to begin work. Pupils are sometimes too slow to begin their tasks. As a result, pupils do not achieve as much as they could.  The school has not made enough progress in the teaching of other subjects, such as

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

science, since the last inspection. The teaching of science is variable across the school but particularly weaker in key stage 1. Evidence from pupils’ learning and their work shows that pupils do not make enough progress in science and do not always have enough opportunity to carry out their investigations properly.  Some teachers do not use the information they have about pupils’ progress to plan activities that match pupils’ needs. Sometimes, progress slows because the work pupils are asked to do is too easy or too difficult for them, or because the teacher’s explanation of what they need to do is not clear enough. Teachers plan tasks of varying levels of difficulty. However, evidence in pupils’ work shows that often they do not choose the task which might deepen their understanding but choose a task that does not challenge their thinking instead.  Pupils do not always have the opportunities to deepen their knowledge, understanding

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

and skills in subjects such as history. Evidence in pupils’ work shows they are able to write facts, such as when discussing the Egyptians and Anglo Saxons in history, but there is little evidence to demonstrate the teaching of skills such as historical enquiry.  Pupils have many opportunities to write at length across a range of subjects using different styles for different purposes. As a result, pupils across the school currently make good progress in writing.  Pupils make good progress in phonics and reading because these skills are taught systematically. At key stages 1 and 2, pupils who read to inspectors were able to read with fluency and confidence, and were reading texts pitched at an appropriate level for them.  Pupils’ work in the art club and in their books shows that pupils are given opportunities to build on their skills to produce a range of artwork from their own observations, and that they pay close attention to detail. The art club offers pupils opportunities to use a

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

range of tools and materials to produce work of an excellent quality.  Teachers have high expectations of those pupils who speak English as an additional language. Teaching focuses on making sure that pupils new to the English language can understand and use key vocabulary successfully. For example, teaching assistants teach grammar to pupils with English as an additional language. Pupils with little or no English on entry into the school are able to speak, write and explain sentences. This enables those pupils to quickly settle into school life and rapidly grow in confidence.  Many teaching assistants are skilled at leading groups of pupils to help them make good progress with specific elements of their learning. Where they are most effective, teaching assistants teach a group of pupils who need different instructions and support. This is particularly so when supporting pupils who have special educational

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

needs and/or disabilities, who, as a result, make at least expected progress.

p.6

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils are caring and support each other in lessons. For example, one pupil, during a writing lesson in key stage 2, said, ‘I spotted that he had used a semicolon after an adverb, so I told him he needed to use a comma’.  The school provides good support for pupils with English as an additional language. For example, the employment of a Romanian interpreter has ensured that families from Romania engage well with the school to help support their children’s learning.  The family liaison worker has been pivotal in improving communication between home and school. She is available at the beginning and end of the school day to support parents with any concerns they may have.  Assemblies are positive and upbeat. All pupils enthusiastically join in with the school song. Assembly themes support the school’s vision and values of pupils being

p.6

Personal development and welfare

responsible for their own learning. Pupils are encouraged to be aspirational. Visits from the mayor and authors encourage pupils to see life outside of their local community. Pupils’ attitudes to learning have increased significantly since last inspection. Pupils are reminded through the ‘attitudes to learning ladder’ (1 meaning ‘I can do’ and 6 meaning ‘I don’t do’).  Parents responded positively about how the school cares for and develops pupils. For example, one parent commented: ‘I’m happy with the school and their way of caring and teaching the children. They allow the children to meet their responsibilities as well as targets.’

p.6

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are punctual at the start of the day and they enter the school and assemblies calmly. They listen attentively, and respond in lessons and assemblies appropriately when asked.  Pupils say that inappropriate behaviour is rare; no pupils have been excluded since the last inspection. Incident logs show few incidents. Clear guidelines and good behaviour management systems, consistently applied, ensure an appropriate response to poor behaviour. Few parents and carers indicated any concerns about behaviour.  Pupils demonstrate good attitudes to learning and say they enjoy school. As a result, the proportion of pupils who regularly attend school is now above the national average.

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 2016 performance information shows that in reading and mathematics the progress of the most able pupils in year 6 was below the national average. Leaders have started to address this but recognise that the progress made by the most able pupils needs to accelerate further.  The school’s focus on reading has resulted in improving outcomes across the school for current pupils.  Teachers’ expectations are not always high enough and teachers expect too little from pupils. Consequently, the proportion of the most able pupils who reached the higher level of attainment in mathematics at the end of Year 2 was below the national average.  Inspection evidence shows that pupils in the current Year 6 are making good progress in mathematics and reading and writing. Evidence seen in lessons and in pupils’ work, suggests that most groups of pupils are now on track to make at least expected progress by the time they reach the end of key stage 2. However, evidence in other

p.7

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

key stage 2 classes shows that progress is more variable and generally less strong in mathematics.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making similar progress to other pupils. They, too, have benefited from the increase in support sessions and make good progress when working in small groups with teaching assistants.  Phonics attainment has been above national average for the last three years and continues to improve.  Pupil achievement information shows that progress, at this time, is strong in the early years in phonics, reading, writing and mathematics. Evidence suggests that a higher proportion of children will achieve a good level of development by the end of Reception.  Disadvantaged pupils made good progress in reading at the end of Year 6 in 2016. Evidence suggests that the gap between these pupils and others nationally is diminishing because support for these pupils is good.

p.7

Early years provision Good

 Early years provision has improved since the last inspection. There is a greater focus on the promotion of children’s speaking skills, application of phonics and the development of writing skills. As a result, pupils make good progress from their starting points in phonics, reading and writing. Inspection evidence shows that in some cases pupils make accelerated progress in these areas of learning.  Teaching is of good quality and is helping to ensure that children are well prepared for moving up to Year 1. Children are attentive and calm and participate well in whole- class and independent activities. Teaching motivates children so that they enjoy learning and it promotes their personal, social and emotional development well. Pupils are supported and feel safe and have trusting relationships with adults and their peers. One child reminded a child to use ‘finger spaces’ in his writing.  The inside and outside learning environments are inviting and stimulating, and promote

p.7

Early years provision Good

all areas of the curriculum. Teachers are creative in planning activities that match children’s interests and which inspire and engage them.  Leaders are proactive and work with the local playgroup to ensure that pupils are taught what they need from the start of their full-time education at Rose Hill. For example, the school’s transition work identified that a large proportion of pupils enter Reception having below-average fine motor skills. A complete restructuring of the outside environment and new resources have ensured that pupils are making good progress in this area of learning since September.  Children typically enter Reception from a low starting point. Assessment procedures have significantly improved, and early years staff use current assessment information to provide an accurate insight into children’s achievements and developmental needs. As a result, children make good progress from their starting points in all areas of

p.8

Early years provision Good

learning.  Parents are very positive about the early years provision and believe that their children make good progress. One parent commented: ‘I most definitely made the right decision in sending him to Rose Hill. He is absolutely thriving, he is writing words and knows his letters and numbers, his vocabulary has grown and we have the Reception class teachers to thank for this.’  Children are able to count well, in many cases up to or beyond 20. Children know how many are left when one or two are taken away, and are learning how to write numbers. However, on occasion, the most able children are not challenged as well as they could be and therefore opportunities are missed for these children to make as much progress as they could.

p.8

School details

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

p.9

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.9

School details

Email address general@rosehill.suffolk.sch.uk

p.9

School details

Date of previous inspection 3–4 March 2015

p.9

Information about this school

 The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.  Currently, the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is slightly above average. Within this group a growing number have arrived at the school recently from different countries and are new to speaking English.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is in line with the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is broadly average.  Children attend the Reception classes on a full-time basis.

p.9

Information about this inspection

 The inspectors visited all year groups and observed small groups of pupils being taught.  The inspectors looked at work in a range of pupils’ books and listened to pupils read.  The inspectors observed pupils in other activities and as they moved around the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, other leaders, teachers, other staff and governors. Inspectors also met with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors met with pupils to discuss their experiences at school.  The views of 15 parents who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, were taken into account. The inspectors also held informal discussions with parents. The inspectors also considered the views of 21 members of staff and two pupils who responded to their online surveys.  Inspectors looked at a range of school documents and information. These included the school’s development plan, curriculum plans and minutes of meetings of the governing

p.10

Information about this inspection

body, and pupils’ behaviour and attendance records. The inspectors also looked at arrangements for, and records of, safeguarding procedures.

p.10

Inspection team

Cindy Impey, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.10

Inspection team

James Richards 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 .

p.10

Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

p.11

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.

p.11

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 .

p.11

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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.11

Inspection team

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 .

p.11

Inspection team

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

p.11

Inspection team

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

p.11

Inspection team

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

p.11