Roos Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Mrs Marlene Miller Headteacher Roos Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Main Street Roos Hull HU12 0HB

p.1

School

Following my visit to the school on 8 March 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in March 2012.

p.1

School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Your passion and skilful leadership have created a highly motivated team of staff and governors dedicated to achieving the best for pupils. Parents are highly positive about the school, praise the staff and say that their children thrive at the school. Parents value the good communication with staff. They appreciate the breakfast club and the after-school provision, and many take up the flexible extra paid hours for nursery children. Extra-curricular activities promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Visitors to school regularly extend pupils’ first-hand knowledge and understanding of other religions and cultures. Annual musical shows are a highlight of the school calendar.

p.1

School

The governing body is highly committed to the school and its ethos. Governors were rigorous in pursuing the reasons for the dip in key stage 2 performance in 2016 and have been thorough in checking the impact of action taken.

p.1

School

Children in the early years make good progress in their development, including their early reading, writing and number skills. Careful, thoughtful teaching and effective support from other adults ensure that all children develop well from their different starting points. Pupils at the end of key stage 1 in 2016 made strong progress from the end of the early years foundation stage. Attainment at the end of Year 2 has been consistently high in reading, writing and mathematics. For the last three years, the proportion of pupils reaching the required standard in phonics in Year 1 has been well above the national average.

p.1

School

In 2016, the progress that Year 6 pupils made from their starting points at key stage 1 was below the national average in mathematics because teaching did not focus sufficiently on the development of pupils’ skills in reasoning. You analysed the results accurately, and your changes this term have strengthened teaching. The school is yet to see the impact on key stage 2 results.

p.2

School

You have also tackled a weakness in the key stage 2 reading test results by changing the approach to guided reading. Teachers now take the lead rather than sharing the role with teaching assistants. Teachers are focusing questions more rigorously on pupils’ understanding of text, extending pupils’ vocabulary and their ability to infer meaning.

p.2

School

Pupils work with good application and sustained concentration. They present their work to a high standard. They are keen to learn and value the clear direction and precise feedback from teachers. High attendance reflects pupils’ enjoyment and the enthusiasm with which they come to school.

p.2

School

At the previous inspection, the school was asked to ensure that teaching leads to consistently good progress for pupils of all ages and abilities. Teaching is in mixed- age classes and challenges pupils of all abilities well, including the most able. Teachers assess pupils’ skills and needs frequently and accurately and know pupils well. Teachers have good subject knowledge and they focus precisely on what different pupils need to learn next in English and mathematics. You deploy teaching assistants effectively. They support and question pupils well, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teaching assistants make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning, assessment and progress.

p.2

School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Records of action are detailed and of high quality. You identify any concerns promptly and act on them effectively. Your good knowledge of pupils and effective communication with parents promote a culture where any concerns are voiced and followed up. You have acted proactively in the interest of pupils to ensure that they get the necessary support from other agencies to maintain their well-being and academic progress. You assess risks carefully and take appropriate preventative measures. Parents valued your workshops on e-safety and pupils said that they feel safe.

p.2

Inspection findings

 Professional development is effective. You have encouraged and enabled teaching and other staff, including teaching support, catering and administrative staff, to develop their skills, qualifications and expertise. Subject leaders take a lead role in checking the accuracy of assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress in other schools in the local authority. You and your senior staff have supported improvement in other schools.  You are developing your assessment systems well to meet new national requirements. Staff make frequent checks on pupils’ progress and take effective action to support those who have additional needs, including pupils supported by the pupil premium.  Teachers and well-trained teaching assistants focus closely on each pupil’s progress in sounding and blending letters. You inform parents well about how to support their child’s learning, including in phonics.  The proportion of children reaching a good level of development in the early

p.3

Inspection findings

years has been well above average in recent years, dipped a little in 2016 and is on track to increase again in 2017.  In 2016, pupils’ progress in writing at key stage 2 was in line with the national average, and attainment was well above average. Teaching stimulates pupils to write and they write with purpose and stamina. Teachers’ clear guidance and well -planned learning resources enable pupils to learn and apply specific features of language and grammar accurately. Presentation of writing is of a high standard. Teachers and pupils pay good attention to punctuation and spelling.  Pupils read regularly at home and school and develop their confidence and enjoyment in reading. Individual reading with adults enables weaker readers to develop their fluency. You have added books that are more demanding for the most able, and teachers are ensuring that pupils read a wide range of genres. More frequent comprehension exercises are extending and reinforcing pupils’

p.3

Inspection findings

reading skills. The effective promotion of reading was exemplified by the number of parents choosing books from the book fair in the hall.  Effective guidance by the subject leader in mathematics and new resources have recently improved the teaching of reasoning. Pupils are thinking through and applying mathematical skills to problems expressed in words more effectively than previously, as seen in their books. Teachers are also questioning pupils well and getting them to explain more explicitly the logical steps that they have taken to solve a problem.

p.3

Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

p.3

Next steps for the school

 improvements to the teaching of reasoning and problem solving in mathematics, and to reading comprehension, result in increased progress and attainment at the end of key stage 2. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of York, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for East Riding of Yorkshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3

Information about the inspection

I met with you, senior leaders, a group of pupils and six members of the governing body, and I spoke to a representative of the local authority by telephone. I also spoke to parents dropping off children for school. I jointly observed teaching with you in all classes and I discussed the learning in pupils’ books with you and with a teacher. I also listened to pupils read.

p.4

Information about the inspection

I checked the school website and examined a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, assessment information, the school development plan and safeguarding records. I took account of 28 responses from parents to the Ofsted online questionnaire, including 22 written responses, two letters and an email. I also considered 23 responses from staff and 78 responses from pupils.

p.4