Rokeby Park Primary School

Rokeby Park Primary School Gershwin Avenue, Anlaby Park Road North, Kingston-upon-Hull HU4 7NJ

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher has communicated an ambitious vision for the school. Staff have followed her strong direction successfully to bring about rapid improvement.  Senior leaders value the support provided by the headteacher and governors. Their work is now having significant impact.  Leaders and governors have made good use of partnership arrangements, links with other schools and work with consultants to raise standards.  Clear expectations, targeted training and frequent monitoring have raised the quality of teaching to a good level.  The welfare of pupils is a high priority. Safeguarding arrangements are effective.  High-quality provision in the early years helps children to get off to a flying start in school.  Outcomes at key stages 1 and 2 were well above national averages for 2016.  Pupils respect others, are polite and friendly and display good learning attitudes. They enjoy lessons, especially mathematics.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Attendance has improved, though there is a small minority of pupils who miss too many days’ schooling.  Pupils do not apply grammar and punctuation sufficiently well in their written work. Variable handwriting leads to inconsistent presentation.  The coverage of subjects other than English and mathematics is inconsistent. Progression in skills is not clear.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further develop the effectiveness of subject leadership in order to broaden and deepen pupils’ understanding and skills across a range of subjects by: – setting out clear pathways of progression in each subject – building in key assessment activities to measure and demonstrate progress – making sure that that tasks are pitched at a challenging level for all groups – ensuring that pupils have frequent opportunities to use and apply key skills of reading, writing and mathematics in subjects beyond English and mathematics.  Improve the quality of written work for all groups of pupils by: – checking that pupils complete corrections accurately and respond to points for improvement in a timely way – implementing a rigorous approach to the teaching and application of handwriting – providing frequent opportunities for pupils to apply grammar and punctuation rules in their independent writing – creating more frequent opportunities outdoors for children in the early years to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Since the previous inspection, changes in leadership and staffing resulted in some turbulence. Outcomes for pupils had declined and teaching did not meet the demands of the curriculum. The new headteacher, supported by the local authority, quickly formed an accurate view of shortcomings and instigated a major overhaul of provision.  By setting clear and unequivocal expectations of staff and by working tirelessly alongside leaders and teachers, the headteacher has raised aspirations for pupils’ achievement. The strong pupil outcomes in 2016 are testament to the success of her drive for success.  Senior leaders have appreciated increased levels of accountability and have discharged their responsibilities well so that they now exercise an increasing impact on the work of teachers and support staff. There is a strong sense of teamwork, echoed by all groups of staff.  Staff have benefited from a considerable programme of training and support from

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

leaders. Some training, support and opportunities to view good practice in other schools have been brokered through the Tidal Teaching School Alliance.  There is now a robust approach to checking on pupils’ progress. The headteacher has set out a calendar for assessment points, introduced and refined new tracking systems and ensured that teachers have a clear understanding about the progress of different groups of pupils.  Leaders challenge and support staff well through a range of monitoring activities, clearly documented and used to inform performance review processes. The headteacher has tightened up these procedures so pay decisions link closely to proportions of pupils reaching and exceeding expected standards.  Leaders have used the pupil premium funding to provide additional wider opportunities and learning intervention support for disadvantaged pupils. Key stage 2 outcomes in 2016 for this group were very strong but were less so for younger pupils. Leaders

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

accept the need for greater analysis of individual learning needs at an earlier stage.  Leaders use the funding for primary school physical education and sport well. Pupils enjoy attending a wide range of sports clubs and activities and The Champions Club focuses specifically on pupils’ fitness and health. Specialised sports coaches work supportively alongside teachers in lessons to develop mutual expertise.  Leaders and staff promote a culture of respect and high ambition for all pupils. Pupils’ positive attitudes to learning and care for others reflect this positive ethos. There are elements of multicultural education in place but pupils are less confident in talking about other faiths and cultures or linking school values explicitly with British values.  The special educational needs coordinator has worked productively with external agencies and the educational psychologist. She has a clear view of how to put into

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

place a more tailored approach to meet individual needs more effectively. She knows that more work is required to develop clearer approaches to check on progress.  The curriculum includes first-hand experiences to catch pupils’ imagination and stimulate their appetite for learning, such as recent visits to school by an author and an architect, or the Year 5 visit to Cadbury’s World in connection with chocolate production.  Senior leaders acknowledge, however, that further work is required to develop leadership strengths in a range of other subjects to provide better breadth, balance and progression in areas such as science, history, art and music. Although work in these subjects takes place, it is not organised cohesively to reinforce and extend key skills.

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Governance of the school

 The governing body is able to work more effectively and strategically because governors receive detailed and accurate information from the headteacher and senior leaders about the life of the school. They have a clear view about pupils’ progress and know precisely where strengths and further improvements in provision lie.  Governors provide challenge through individual visits and termly discussions with all leaders to check the school is moving in the right direction. They, like the headteacher, are aiming high for the school.  The review of governance recommended in the previous inspection has spurred governors to improve the work of committees and become increasingly reflective about their own practice. They have responded well to consultancy advice and are keen to draw up their own development plan to further improve governing body effectiveness.  Governors’ attendance at several training events alongside staff has strengthened

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Governance of the school

understanding and relationships. Governors have also staged evening events to engage parents and gauge their perceptions of the school.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Records of recruitment procedures meet statutory requirements. Use of a strong induction policy ensures that new staff receive clear guidance about procedures to follow if they have any concerns over the welfare of pupils.  There are clear lines of responsibility for the operation of entry systems, administration of medicines, recording of emergency evacuation, risk assessments, first aid provision and accident records. The school business manager, ably supported by the site facilities officer, maintains safety documentation to a good standard.  Training on safeguarding matters has been wide-ranging and provided to all staff and governors. Leaders use written checks to ensure that staff understand the messages they hear. The chair of the governing body meets termly with the designated person for safeguarding to review procedures and actions.  Leaders show determination in seeking support for pupils whom they consider may be

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Safeguarding

at risk of harm. Records show timely actions and responses to issues but need to be organised better to allow information to be quickly located.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching has improved since the previous inspection and is now good. Pupils are engaged in lessons and say learning is fun. One Year 6 pupil explained, ‘Our teacher always puts a twist into the lesson to make it exciting.’ Positive learning attitudes, particularly evident in older pupils, contribute to secure progress.  Teachers plan coherent sequences of learning that build on previous learning. They use questioning well to identify any misconceptions and clarify understanding. There is an emphasis on developing pupils’ vocabulary and teachers take opportunities to explain unfamiliar words or expressions.  The teaching of mathematics is a strength across the school. Teachers ensure that younger pupils explore number through extensive use of structured apparatus and pictorial diagrams help with understanding. In Year 3, the teacher asked pupils to ‘Tell us how you did it,’ when they had to decide where to write fractions on a number line.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 For older pupils, the emphasis on secure understanding of place value continues and pupils sharpen their number skills daily through short, focused practise. Teachers are becoming more expert in deciding when to move pupils on to more challenging tasks and worded problems as soon as they are ready to do so.  The teaching of phonics is very consistent across different groups and teachers make effective use of the reading scheme well, planning work to meet the range of abilities. Teaching assistants support early reading well and sessions move along in a lively manner.  Teachers encourage pupils to read at school through special time set aside and pupils choose graded books or from the school library. Teachers and teaching assistants check that these books are at the right level and extra reading support helps the less confident readers to become more fluent.  The ‘talk for writing’ approach is helping pupils to develop their ideas when writing for

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

different purposes. Teachers also help pupils to build up writing techniques, for example through the ‘cold and hot’ writing tasks. Year 4 pupils produced some very effective and imaginative science fiction written work after redrafting earlier attempts.  Homework is set on a weekly basis to support work previously covered in lessons. Pupils enjoy completing this, though a few felt that homework lacked variety. They say that there are limited opportunities to do projects drawn from subjects other than English or mathematics.  Exercises to support the teaching of grammar and punctuation tend to be routine exercises and limited opportunities are provided to apply knowledge through independent writing. Sometimes, least-able pupils are expected to use advanced punctuation despite having an insecure understanding of sentence construction.  Teachers provide written feedback in books, following the school policy, but there is

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

variation in the way that pupils respond to this. Sometimes pupils do not take care in correcting spelling errors accurately or fail to complete the improvement action.  Although there are good examples of presentation, handwriting varies in quality and some pupils struggle to form letters consistently. In a few cases, poor handwriting habits lead to spelling and capitalisation confusion. Teachers do not routinely identify these problems and a minority of adults offer poor models through their own writing.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils like coming to school, mixing well and engaging positively with the adults, whom they trust to look after them well. ‘It’s all right here, you know,’ confided one Year 5 pupil.  All groups feel safe and pupils have a good understanding of safety issues, especially e-safety. This is because they remember the safety messages from lessons and assemblies. They know the dangers of sharing personal information online and are clear about what to do if they encounter inappropriate material on the computer.  Pupils are able to explain the nature of bullying and say that it is a rare event. If any form of harassment occurs, there are clear consequences and the headteacher ‘sorts it out – very quickly!’ They explain that they love to welcome new pupils, whatever their backgrounds or family circumstances.  Staff responsible for safeguarding respond quickly to any concerns over pupils who

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Personal development and welfare

they consider may be at risk. Where families need a helping hand, senior leaders have shown tenacity in working with external agencies so that support is forthcoming.  There are wide-ranging opportunities for pupils to take part in clubs and sports such as dance, table tennis, netball, athletics and soccer beyond the school day. Staff ensure that disadvantaged pupils are encouraged to attend and participation levels are high.  Pupils are aware of the importance of exercise and a balanced diet for a healthy lifestyle. They know that too much sugar can lead to problems later in life and are keen to explain why we should eat plenty of vegetables.  Pupils learn about a range of faiths through religious education lessons and through assemblies. However, older pupils’ recall of what they know about other cultures is limited and they associate different cultures mainly with geographical location.  A school council puts forward ideas for consideration to senior leaders. ‘Teachers take

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Personal development and welfare

on board our suggestions,’ a Year 5 pupil explained. There is room to expand this work and increase opportunities for pupils to contribute further to the wider life of the school through additional roles and responsibilities.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They conduct themselves responsibly in lessons, around school, in the lunch hall and on the playgrounds. They are sociable, greet visitors in a friendly and polite way and remember to stand aside and hold open doors for adults.  Pupils show a high level of tolerance towards a very small minority of pupils whose behaviour is erratic, although they do not like it when lessons are interrupted. In most cases, they do not allow themselves to be distracted from concentrating on their work. Little time is wasted in lessons when pupils move to different activities.  Lessons proceed smoothly because the majority of pupils exhibit positive learning attitudes. Pupils are able to sustain concentration when completing tasks, although a few are apt to chatter off-task when expectations are less demanding. Occasional shouting out in lessons stems more from enthusiasm than disrespect.

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Behaviour

 Detailed behaviour records demonstrate that leaders analyse incidents for patterns and causes. Leaders apply consequences for poor behaviour consistently and pupils regard the colour steps as very fair. The school has had some success in modifying the behaviour of individual pupils who struggle to control their actions. Exclusions are rare.  Concerted action by the headteacher and pupils’ increased enjoyment of school has resulted in better whole-school attendance, now in line with the national average. However, attendance for disadvantaged pupils remains slightly below that of other pupils and a small minority of pupils still miss too many days’ schooling.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Outcomes at both key stage 1 and 2 for 2016 show a marked improvement in all subjects and were above national averages. Higher expectations of pupils, improved teaching and effective support have led to better outcomes.  At the end of key stage 1, proportions of pupils reaching expected standards in reading, writing and especially in mathematics were well above those seen nationally. Proportions exceeding expected standards in all three areas were also above the national average.  At the end of key stage 2, from different starting points, pupils’ progress in writing and mathematics was above national averages and in reading it was well above the progress seen nationally. Greater proportions of pupils than nationally reached and exceeded expected standards in all three areas.  The progress of disadvantaged pupils at key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics was well above that of national non-disadvantaged pupils. More

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Outcomes for pupils Good

disadvantaged pupils also reached expected standards in reading and mathematics, although not in writing, than other pupils nationally. These outcomes represent a significant achievement.  In 2016, at key stage 2, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, attained scores in the reading, grammar and mathematics tests that were close to national averages for all pupils, representing good progress.  The school’s latest assessments and work seen in books indicate that progress for current groups, including disadvantaged pupils, is secure so that similar proportions of pupils are likely to meet the standards expected of their age at the end of the school year.  In 2016 in Year 1, lower proportions of pupils than nationally met the expected standard in the phonics screening check, but latest assessments indicate that outcomes will be more favourable this year. This is the result of improved teaching and more

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Outcomes for pupils Good

regular practice.  Pupils read confidently and can talk a little about favourite types of stories but do not exhibit a thirst for reading. Few make use of a local library. The school has recently added some new stock to its own library but could do more to promote a love of books and reading.  Most-able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve well. They like the challenges set, especially in mathematics, but some feel they could tackle even harder work. In other subjects there are limited opportunities for independent research.  The quality of work in subjects other than English and mathematics is variable, though there is notable improvement in science, following recent increased emphasis on this subject. Pupils have limited opportunities to develop specific skills in some areas, including the creative arts.  Pupils generally take a pride in their work and presentation is usually good. Sometimes

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Outcomes for pupils Good

however, common words are misspelled and handwriting is variable, especially by boys. This slows their progress.  Older key stage 2 pupils represent the school well and display positive attitudes that are likely to serve them well when they move to senior school.

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Early years provision Good

 The early years provision is good because teaching is consistently good, the indoor and outdoor provision is stimulating and the nurturing care for the children helps them to settle quickly and thrive.  Effective transition arrangements, including home visits to all families and visits to other pre-school settings, help to smooth the children’s start into Nursery.  Children join the early years with broadly typical abilities and make good progress during their time in the setting. Accurate assessments indicate that proportions of children leaving Reception with a good level of development are set to rise. In 2016, they reflected national averages but staff are ambitious in challenging the most able children to achieve beyond expected standards.  Parents have high confidence in the staff and engage positively in their children’s learning experiences, for example, through the Stay and Play initiative or by sharing

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Early years provision Good

children’s achievements via the electronic recording system.  Leaders have fully addressed the variable quality of provision seen at the previous inspection across the setting. Both the Nursery and Reception classes are now buzzing hives of purposeful activity.  Children adapt well to the high staff expectations of behaviour and sharing. Inspectors noted several instances where children helped each other to join in with activities, as seen when a Reception girl asked if she could join in at the planting table. ‘Yes, you can plant some tomatoes – here’s the seeds,’ said one boy, handing the packet to her.  Children independently access a range of enticing and exciting activities that sustain their interest. They move calmly indoors between different tasks without disturbing the focused group work led by the adults. Boys and girls play harmoniously.  Outdoors, there are plentiful opportunities for collaborative work, such as the camping

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Early years provision Good

and den construction tasks that are particularly appealing to boys. Staff make excellent use of natural objects to capture children’s curiosity. Teachers promote number understanding well through different activities, displays and challenges.  Welfare requirements and safeguarding arrangements are robust. Clear procedures for first aid and medicine administration are in place, the setting is secure and tidy and children access suitable clothing for outdoor and messy work.  Adults involve the children in identifying hazards. Two children in Reception, armed with clipboards, dutifully checked that equipment was in good order before passing it as in good order. Another child checked the inspector’s badge before announcing, ‘I’ve seen your badge; you can visit us now.’  The very few children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress because staff support their needs well, calmly taking time to reassure

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Early years provision Good

them if they become unsettled. Leaders access help from external agencies promptly where children present emotional or health challenges.  The teaching of phonics is highly effective by all adults. Children soon gain confidence in identifying and blending sounds, spotting tricky words and identifying ‘alien words’. In Reception, children proudly read aloud with expression to each other.  Reading is not supported as well, however, outdoors, through signage reflecting the different activity choices or in the reading hut, which does not celebrate books appealingly.  Adults guide children well in learning to form letters correctly and children like to attempt independent writing. One boy showed the inspector that he had written ‘dad’ whereupon another child showed him how to write ‘mum’. Children enjoy working at the writing table but there are less opportunities for mark-making activities outdoors.

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School details

Local authority Kingston upon Hull, City of

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18–19 March 2015

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. There are eight single- age classes.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of current pupils known to be eligible for support paid for by the pupil premium is well above average.  More pupils join and leave the school during the school year than the national average.  Children start school in the early years on a part-time basis in the Nursery and attend full-time in Reception.  The school provides a daily breakfast club.  There is approximately the same number of girls as boys in the school.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is slightly higher than the national average. The number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs, or education, health and care plan, is below the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum

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Information about this school

expectations for pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  There have been significant changes in staffing and leadership since the time of the previous inspection. The headteacher left the school in 2016 and the new headteacher took up her post in November.  Since the previous inspection, four teachers have left the school and have been replaced.  The school accesses valuable support and training through the Tidal Teaching School Alliance.  In addition, the local authority provided support to the school from January to July 2016.  The school meets the requirements about what it must publish on its website but does not meet requirements on the publication of information about governor attendance at full and committee meetings.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 19 lessons or part-lessons across all classes. The headteacher and deputy headteacher viewed two lessons jointly with inspectors.  Inspectors listened to some pupils reading from Years 2, 3, 5 and 6.  Inspectors sampled work from all year groups in English, mathematics, science and a range of other subjects.  Inspectors conducted meetings with the headteacher, middle leaders, subject leaders, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors analysed information from a scrutiny of school documentation. This included published data about pupils’ progress and attainment, previous inspection reports and the school’s latest assessment information.  Inspectors viewed the school’s own evaluative judgements, the school improvement plan, information about the curriculum and school monitoring information. They also looked at governing body minutes and safeguarding documentation.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors took the views of parents into account through informal discussions with parents at the start of the school day and by analysing responses from the 17 parents who completed the online questionnaire, Parent View.  Inspectors took the views of pupils into account through two planned meetings, one with pupils from Years 2, 3 and 4, and another with pupils from Years 5 and 6. They also viewed the results from the online pupil survey to which four pupils had responded. They met groups of pupils informally at playtime and lunchtime.  Inspectors took the views of staff into account by analysing responses from the online survey. The school had obtained responses from nine staff.

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Inspection team

James Reid, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Angela Harper 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

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 .

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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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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