Red Hall Primary School

Inspection of Red Hall Primary School Zoar Street, Lower Gornal, Dudley, West Midlands DY3 2PA

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 11–12 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a friendly and welcoming school. It is improving after declining since the previous inspection. Pupils told us that they enjoy school and agree that ‘Everyone gets on well together.’ Parents and carers value the marked difference the headteacher has made for all pupils in a short time. But, in the headteacher’s words, ‘There is still work to do.’ Inspectors agree. Expectations for all pupils need to be higher.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school. They have a good understanding of online safety and stranger danger. Leaders take pupils’ safety very seriously. The school is on a split site, divided by a main road. Pupils are taught about road safety as soon as they start school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A new approach to managing behaviour is working well. Staff and pupils say that behaviour has improved since the new headteacher joined the school. Pupils and teachers, including supply teachers, say that the system is clear and followed in all classes. However, some pupils give up easily when work is too difficult or play around when work is too easy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say bullying is rare. Adults deal with any incidents quickly. Anti-bullying ambassadors are also on hand at playtime to make sure bullying does not happen.

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better?

Leaders and staff know the curriculum needs improving and have begun to make changes. To date, planning in mathematics and physical education (PE) is better than in other subjects. Activities build up pupils’ knowledge and skills gradually. Planning also caters for pupils in mixed-aged classes. This means that pupils achieve well in these subjects.

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better?

Sequential planning is less well developed in other subjects. Teachers do not have a clear understanding of what pupils should know by the end of each year group in all subjects. For example, pupils do not achieve well in writing. This is because age- appropriate writing skills are not covered or built up steadily. This means that pupils do not master the skills needed for the next class and their writing is not at the standard it should be.

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better?

Previously, pupils’ results were poor at the end of key stage 2. This was because of weaknesses in how pupils’ learning was planned and delivered. The new headteacher has made positive changes and the school is improving. Pupils’ outcomes are improving but not yet across all subjects.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised making sure that pupils can read well and they have provided helpful training for staff. Pupils have positive attitudes to reading and read regularly. A good range of quality texts are available for pupils to select in classrooms. Phonics is taught from the outset. Children are assessed early and 11–12 September 2019

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grouped by ability in the early years and key stage 1. Pupils’ reading books match the sounds pupils learn. While extra help is provided for those who struggle to read, the lowest-ability pupils do not catch up quickly enough.

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Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are given good support. Pupils with SEND are well cared for and receive regular help. Parents appreciate the support their children receive.

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Pupils enjoy taking on extra jobs in school. They like the greater range of clubs, trips and events now offered. Pupils have a good understanding of the school’s core values. They show respect and tolerance for others but are unsure about the beliefs of different religious groups.

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Pupils’ attendance is improving. Nevertheless, attendance of disadvantaged pupils is lower than that of other pupils in the school and needs to improve.

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The headteacher is making a real difference. She has quickly gained the confidence of staff, parents and governors. Leadership in other areas is not always as good. It is strongest in mathematics. Governors have developed their skills and knowledge. They now have a very accurate picture of the school. Most staff feel that their workload is manageable. They recognise that changes are needed to ensure that the school regains its good status as soon as possible.

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Children in the early years settle quickly because their needs are met well. Staff model language clearly so that children learn to speak properly. Physical development is also planned well, although the outdoor area needs refurbishing. Training last year has helped inspire and energise teaching staff. They have introduced new ideas, such as having reading books in the snack café. However, children have not achieved as well as they should. This is due to children not being challenged sufficiently and lack of permanent leadership in this part of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The headteacher leads on safeguarding. She is extremely knowledgeable and experienced in this area. Relevant and recent guidance is shared promptly with staff and governors. Staff training ensures that all adults are alert to signs of abuse and know what steps to take if they have a concern. Record-keeping is efficient and detailed. Referrals to other agencies are made where needed. The headteacher is persistent in following these up to ensure that pupils and their families get the help needed. 11–12 September 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 While the school is improving, it still does not provide a good quality of education. Leaders’ success in improving mathematics in key stage 2 has not been replicated in key stage 1 or in writing across the school.  Mathematics and PE are planned and delivered effectively. Other subjects are not. Leaders should ensure that there are clear plans for all curriculum subjects that show which skills and knowledge will be taught and when.  Leaders should check that phonics teaching for the lowest 20% of pupils in reading is effective. Additional support should ensure that these pupils catch up quickly with their classmates.  The outdoor early years area is not stimulating for young children. A lot of the equipment is old and weathered. Some areas are not well planned or set up to aid learning. For example, the utensils for the ‘mud kitchen’ were too high for children to reach and the kitchen itself lacked mud, sand and water. Children are

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

not always challenged well enough. This means that too few reach or exceed a good level of development.  Governors need to develop senior leadership further so that this does not rest solely with the headteacher. Subject leadership in English requires development alongside permanent leadership in the early years in order to raise achievement.  Pupils have a good understanding of the school’s own values but lack understanding about some British values. Pupils have some knowledge about Muslims and Christians but lack knowledge about the beliefs of other religious groups such as Hindus, Jews, Sikhs and Buddhists.  The attendance of disadvantaged pupils is lower than other pupils in the school. The school needs to continue to work with parents to emphasise the importance of daily attendance.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 11–12 September 2019

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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. 11–12 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10058538 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20–21 January 2015

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in January 2019.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and leaders for the early years, key stage 1 and key stage 2. They also met subject leaders for reading, writing, mathematics, PE, the early years and SEND. Discussions were also held with three members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors talked to non-teaching members of staff, including support staff and midday supervisors, to gather further information about school life.  Four subject areas were looked at in depth as part of this inspection. These were early reading in the Reception Year and key stage 1; writing in lower key stage 2; and mathematics and physical education in upper key stage 2. These subjects were agreed with the headteacher at the start of the inspection.  Inspectors visited some classes in the four selected subject areas, alongside the headteacher or subject leader. Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils about their

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learning and talked to them about the work covered in the lesson visited. Work in pupils’ books and previous learning was also discussed. Inspectors spoke to the teachers who taught these lessons.  Inspectors observed adults hearing individual pupils read. These were lower- ability pupils who receive extra support to help them catch up.  Pupils’ behaviour was observed during lessons and at breaktimes. Behaviour records were also checked.  Inspectors took account of the 20 free-text messages and responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey. Comments were also sought from parents as they brought or collected their children to or from school.  Pupils’ views were collected, both formally and informally, during the school day.  There were 17 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire and their views were taken into account.  School records and documents were checked in relation to attendance, plus the

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school’s own evaluation of its effectiveness and the school action plan.  Safeguarding checks included looking at the school’s central register of adults working in the school. Safeguarding procedures and records were also examined with the school’s safeguarding officer. Different staff were spoken to in order to check their knowledge and understanding of what steps they would take if they had a concern about a pupil.

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Inspection team

Heather Simpson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen O’Keefe Ofsted Inspector 11–12 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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.

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