Rawmarsh Sandhill Primary School

Inspection of Sandhill Primary Academy Kilnhurst Road, Rawmarsh, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S62 5LH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate 25–26 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have made important changes in Years 3–6. A focus on reading, writing and mathematics has made sure that pupils have regained the lost ground of previous years. Older pupils enjoy being challenged by their learning. In Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, teachers do not always match what they expect pupils to do with what pupils already know. Learning slows in these year groups.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are positive about the school, their teachers and their lessons. They like the rewards they receive for learning and for contributing in class. Pupils are polite and respectful. Behaviour is good. Pupils know how to keep safe online and feel safe in school. Bullying is uncommon. Pupils trust the adults in school to help sort out any problems they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have great opportunities to take part in sport and music. They enjoy the wide range of clubs and visits.

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better?

Senior leaders and the trust have not checked closely on how the new curriculum in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 is working. Leaders have not taken quick enough action to address the weaknesses.

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better?

Some weaker readers struggle to read the books teachers give them. Staff know that reading books do not match the sounds that pupils know. They have begun to make sure they do. Leaders have introduced a new phonics programme. However, staff are not acting quickly on what they know pupils can or cannot do. Teaching does not always match what pupils need to know. A few pupils find the phonics sessions too difficult. Some weaker readers are not keeping up. Not all staff are expert enough in teaching the new phonics programme. Pupils do not read as well as they should in Reception and key stage 1.

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better?

In Year 1 and Year 2, pupils find mathematics difficult. They find it hard to work out problems or explain how they reached an answer. At the start of the year, pupils spend too much time repeating what they already know before moving on to the next steps. This slows their learning.

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better?

Staff in Reception Year say that their new approach to the curriculum in the summer term helped children to be better prepared for mathematics in Year 1. However, staff are giving new Reception children tasks that some cannot do. At the beginning of the year, these children have not learned what they need to be able to complete the tasks. The outdoor area does not support children’s learning as well as it could. Staff have not helped parents to understand how they can support their children’s reading at home. 25–26 September 2019

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Curriculum leaders in key stage 2 have increased pupils’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. In English, the well-planned use of high-quality children’s books helps pupils to use their reading to help with their writing. In mathematics, teachers follow well-designed curriculum plans closely. Pupils have good opportunities to practise and secure their understanding. The support in lessons for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) matches the targets in support plans well.

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Many teachers are recently qualified. Training, advice and team work have supported teaching well. They have helped teachers to sequence the small steps in learning and to support pupils to concentrate on their work. At key stage 2, teachers have used assessment effectively in order to identify what pupils do not understand and make sure that teaching closes these gaps in knowledge.

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Expert teachers and coaches from the trust teach physical education (PE) and music. Their programmes have a clear sequence that builds pupils’ knowledge and skills from Year 1 to Year 6. Pupils experience other subjects, such as science, but they do not increase their knowledge in a similar, step-by-step, way. Pupils do not write at length about history, geography or science. The trust is at an early stage of developing their plans for pupils’ learning in these subjects.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Child protection and safeguarding policies and procedures are clear. Staff know their responsibilities and how to raise any concerns. Written records of concerns and actions are timely and held securely. Clear plans are in place to meet the needs of identified pupils. The school works closely with other agencies to ensure that pupils get the support they need. Leaders and staff are caring and alert to any issues that may arise. The trust provides appropriate safeguarding training and monitors school procedures closely.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils achievements in key stage 2 are stronger than those in the early years and key stage 1. Attainment at key stage 1 is not high enough. Stronger leadership of the early years and key stage 1 is needed to make sure that pupils secure the fundamentals of reading, writing and mathematics.  Too few pupils reach the required standard in phonics in Year 1. Pupils require reading books that are closely matched to their phonics knowledge. Staff should improve the use of assessment to make sure that all pupils are working at the right stage. Staff should make sure that weaker readers quickly get the right support to overcome their weakness in blending letters into words.  Senior leaders in the school and trust should sharpen their checks on how staff 25–26 September 2019

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are implementing the new phonics programme. Senior leaders should act quickly to make sure that all staff have the right knowledge and skills to teach phonics effectively. They should ensure that pupils quickly gain the knowledge needed to become confident and fluent readers by the end of key stage 1.  PE and music develop pupils’ knowledge, interests and talents sequentially. Pupils do not follow a similar sequence of what they should learn in other subjects, including science, history, geography and modern languages. The trust and senior leaders should make plans that show how pupils will increase their knowledge in these subjects. Pupils should be well prepared for all the subjects they will encounter at key stage 3.  Senior leaders have introduced a new curriculum in the early years. The trust and senior leaders do not check closely how well it is working. All learning in mathematics should match children’s stage of development and build on their

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existing knowledge. The trust should improve the outdoor environment so that it provides good opportunities for pupils to develop across all areas of learning. Staff should support parents to understand how they can help their children’s reading at home.

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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.

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Further information

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. 25–26 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110530 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 November 2017

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Information about this school

 The school was closed in October 2016 when the Department for Education withdrew funding and dissolved governance.  The school opened and joined the Wickersley Partnership Trust in October 2016.  At the inspection on 17 November 2017, the school was judged ‘inadequate’.

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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 met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, members of staff, the chief executive of the trust, trust school improvement partners and the chair of the local governing body. An inspector spoke to the chair of trustees by telephone.  Inspectors focused on the following subjects: reading, mathematics, PE and music. Inspectors met with subject and phase leaders, teachers and pupils.  Inspectors visited lessons with senior leaders. An inspector heard pupils read. Inspectors discussed samples of pupils’ written work from the last and current school year. 25–26 September 2019

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 Inspectors looked at safeguarding records and procedures, discussed child protection cases with a safeguarding leader and talked to staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Bernard Campbell, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tracy Fulthorpe Ofsted Inspector 25–26 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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