Robin Hood Junior School

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

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Mrs Elisabeth Broers Headteacher Robin Hood Junior School Thorncroft Road Sutton Surrey SM1 1RL

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Short inspection of Robin Hood Junior School

Following my visit to the school on 18 October 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 September 2012.

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Short inspection of Robin Hood Junior School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You have an accurate and precise view of the school’s strengths and continued areas for improvement. Consequently, over time, pupils’ outcomes have improved. Pupils are well prepared for their move to secondary school when they leave the school. Leaders have been astute in identifying the root causes of some pupils’ underperformance in the past. Where the achievement of some groups of pupils has lagged behind others’, leaders’ strategies and the effective use of additional funding have effectively improved pupils’ performance.

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Short inspection of Robin Hood Junior School

Leaders and governors are rigorous in their evaluation of their own, staff’s and the school’s performance. They benefit from regular, relevant training and links with local schools to ensure that they are up to speed with the latest developments. This includes effective transitions work with infant and secondary schools. As a result, leaders’ plans for further developments are secure. Leaders have thought carefully about the curriculum. It is well balanced by a wide variety of interesting and inspiring extra-curricular activities, and aligned to developing the skills that pupils need in order to be successful. Recent developments to the school site, including the new technology room and the soon-to-open library, represent leaders’ commitment to providing an effective curriculum that meets pupils’ needs and aspirations.

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Short inspection of Robin Hood Junior School

Since the last inspection, pupils’ progress and attainment have risen overall, including for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Provisional information shows that, last year, all groups of pupils made similar progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Overall, progress in these subjects has been higher than average. The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, although improving compared with 2016, was lower than leaders had aimed for. The proportion of pupils achieving a greater depth of understanding fell last year compared with 2016. Pupils did very well in writing and mathematics but comparatively weaker in reading, particularly the most able. Disadvantaged pupils’ attendance in 2015/16 was also lower than the national average for primary schools. This inspection focused on disadvantaged pupils’ performance and their attendance. I also looked

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Short inspection of Robin Hood Junior School

at reading, provision for the most able pupils and how the curriculum prepares pupils for secondary school.

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Short inspection of Robin Hood Junior School

Leaders and governors have ensured that an effective culture of safeguarding exists throughout the school. Training is undertaken regularly and provides staff with the knowledge and confidence to effectively support pupils’ welfare. Staff and governors are aware of potential risks associated with the local area, and are perceptive of how those risks can influence pupils’ behaviour and attendance. The work that the school does to support vulnerable pupils and their families is very effective. Pupils are confident about this being a safe and happy school. They reported that bullying is rare and, should it occur, staff are good at dealing with it. Pupils have a secure understanding of risks to their own welfare, including from sources online and in the local area. Work through the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum supports pupils’ mental health through enhancing their self-confidence

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Short inspection of Robin Hood Junior School

and resilience. The school’s records for safeguarding are accurate and meticulously maintained, including pre-employment checks on staff.

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Inspection findings

 Leaders identified disadvantaged pupils’ attendance to be an area for development last year. Their strategic use of pupil premium funding included improving relationships with families and helping pupils understand the importance of good punctuality and attendance.  Overall, last year’s attendance for disadvantaged pupils fell further compared with the 2016 figure because the effect of leaders’ strategies did not bring attendance up quickly enough. However, staff’s work did ensure that disadvantaged pupils’ progress and attainment at the end of key stage 2 was in line with those of their peers.  This year, disadvantaged pupils’ attendance has been maintained at a higher level, close to that of their peers. Disadvantaged pupils, like all groups and individuals, are well known to teachers, teaching assistants and leaders. As a result, pupils’ receive bespoke support that helps them make good progress.

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Inspection findings

 Teachers provide the most able pupils with regular opportunities to excel, particularly in mathematics where progress was better than average last year and in 2016, and attainment is consistently high. Pupils reported that they enjoy the challenging activities provided.  In other subjects, teachers challenge pupils through effective questioning and by setting high expectations for all pupils. The focus of recent training has included supporting teachers to challenge the most able pupils more. However, teachers do not consistently provide the same level of challenge to pupils in literacy sessions.  Lower-ability pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive bespoke support with their literacy development. However, other pupils, including the most able, receive less guidance and support in their reading. Consequently, the development of pupils’ literacy skills to support their

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Inspection findings

learning is not fully effective. Leaders are correct to identify this issue as a key area for development and it is at the heart of current school developments.  The curriculum is planned effectively so that pupils are well prepared for the move to secondary school. Effective links with local schools help pupils prepare for transitions between key stages. The school’s work to support pupils’ mental health and enhance their resilience to changes underpins the curriculum.  Leaders’ recent work, including significant financial investment, means that the curriculum is even more effective in providing pupils with the learning experiences that they need to make at least good progress across the national curriculum subjects. The new technology room is well used by skilled staff to deliver interesting activities. Staff training on the teaching of physical education and science, for example, has improved standards.

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Inspection findings

 Pupils reported consistently that they enjoy coming to school and that teachers help them achieve their best. Pupils in Year 6 said that they feel well prepared for their move into secondary school. Pupils appreciate the support provided by the school to them and their parents when making secondary school applications.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and governors should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 pupils’ literacy skills are developed consistently well across the curriculum to raise outcomes further.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Sutton. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

Prior to the inspection, the inspector checked that the school’s website was compliant with requirements, which it is. In order to explore the key lines of enquiry, the inspector met with leaders, governors, staff and pupils. The inspector also held informal conversations with parents at the start of the day and with pupils throughout the inspection. The inspector visited lessons and scrutinised pupils’ work jointly with a member of the senior leadership team. Documents were scrutinised including assessment and behaviour information, leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance and plans for development, information relating to the school’s new reading strategy, safeguarding records including pre-employment checks on staff, and policies and procedures. The inspector considered the views of the 126 pupils, 48 parents and 38 staff who responded to Ofsted’s surveys.

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