Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School Sandy Road, Seaforth, Liverpool, Merseyside L21 1AD

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Outcome

Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School has continued to improve apace since its last inspection. It is a wonderfully vibrant place for pupils to learn and thrive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school successfully educates a very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) both in the mainstream school and in a specialist resource base for pupils with complex learning difficulties.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a thirst for learning. They told me that learning new things is exciting and fun. Pupils said that learning, ‘opens the door to new worlds’, and that ‘it lets your imagination run free’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have extremely high expectations of all pupils, including pupils with SEND. The expertise of staff ensures that all pupils achieve very well in relation to their starting points. Pupils are equipped to become curious, motivated individuals who do not easily give up. Pupils leave school well prepared for the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils of all ages are constantly absorbed in their learning. Their behaviour in lessons is exemplary. Pupils told me that bullying was very unusual in school. If it ever does occur, adults act straight away to stop it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers said that they are impressed with the school and the opportunities it gives to all pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very safe in this deeply nurturing environment.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have created an inspiring curriculum from the early years through to key stage 2. 26–27 November 2019

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The curriculum gives pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding to be confident in a wide range of subjects. Leaders have thought very carefully about what they want to teach pupils and the order in which they teach lessons. This is a school where everyone loves learning. Pupils’ behaviour is excellent throughout school.

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Teachers are very knowledgeable about the subjects that they teach. They use this to inspire pupils. Teachers explain things with precision and clarity to pupils. They help pupils to remember important information and to make connections between different concepts and topics. Pupils have regular opportunities to revisit the information that they have previously learned in a new way. For example, in the Reception class, children learned about ‘warm’ and ‘cool’ colours. Later, when choosing activities, they used their new knowledge to colour in their self-portraits.

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In mathematics, pupils also use what they already know and can do to solve more complex problems. Teachers ensure that pupils learn mathematical concepts thoroughly and in the right order. This is evident throughout the school. In the early years, I saw children thinking deeply about ways they could make the number 7. In Year 3, pupils successfully considered how many ways they could make 3 lots of 4.

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Reading is extremely important in school. Children learn letters and sounds as soon as they start in the Nursery. Most pupils reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Those who do not, for example those with complex learning needs, catch up quickly. The school has a rich and varied supply of books. Pupils told me that they really love the books that they read and the stories that their teachers read to them. They said, ‘Reading gives you a different point of view’, and it ‘can take you away from it all’.

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Leaders have very high expectations of the pupils and children in this school. They want everyone to achieve their very best. They are increasingly successful in this mission. Leaders believe that there should be no limits to what pupils can do. Pupils in the main school achieve very well. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND are equally successful at Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School. This includes the pupils that attend the SEND resource base.

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Staff in the early years prepare children exceptionally well for when they move up to Year 1. Children in early years learn to share and take turns. Older pupils play cooperatively. A small minority of pupils with SEND occasionally struggle with their behaviour, but adults support them well to find better ways to behave and calm down.

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Pupils of all ages spoke with to me about how they live out their school values through their everyday actions. For example, pupils make cupcakes for passers-by in the street. Many demonstrate a profound sense of empathy, compassion and spirituality. Bullying is rare and dealt with quickly.

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Staff believe that all learning should have connections to real-life experiences. To this end, they organise many activities and events. These include helping pupils to empathise with what it was like to be an evacuee or losing touch with a brother or sister in the First World War. 26–27 November 2019

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The leadership team is passionate and committed. Governors are equally dedicated. Staff are extremely proud to work at the school. They feel listened to and well supported. Leaders are always seeking to improve the curriculum that they offer. Although most subjects are of an equally high standard, geography and information technology are ones that are the least developed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a caring and nurturing ethos in the school. The protection of pupils is extremely important to all staff. Leaders make sure that all policies and procedures are in place and that everyone knows them in detail. Leaders are confident to act if they are concerned about a pupil. They work well with professionals outside of school to keep pupils safe, and leaders are strong advocates for vulnerable families and pupils.

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Safeguarding

The pastoral care in the school is a strength. Staff ensure that pupils and their families are well looked after and supported.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The vast majority of curriculum subjects are taught to a high standard. However, geography and information technology are slightly less well developed than other subjects. Pupils do not remember as much as they do in other curriculum areas. Leaders need to develop further these subjects so that they are of the same high standard as the rest. This will ensure that pupils benefit from the same high-quality curriculum across the full range of subjects.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good/outstanding. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Rimrose Hope CofE Primary School to be good on 3–4 June 2015.

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

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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. 26–27 November 2019

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3–4 June 2015

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Information about this school

 The school has a local authority resource base for primary-aged pupils with complex learning difficulties. At the time of the previous inspection the unit had the capacity to offer places to up to 20 pupils. This number has reduced and now offers provision for up to 10 pupils. There are six pupils currently in the unit.  The school last received a religious education inspection carried out under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in November 2016.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection I spoke with pupils, both formally and informally, about their work and school life. I spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders and members of staff. I also held discussions with staff which focused on safeguarding.  I spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  I reviewed a range of documentation, including that relating to school improvement, safeguarding and the checks undertaken on newly appointed staff.  I spoke with parents at the start of the school day and I considered 10 responses to 26–27 November 2019

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Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.  I also considered 33 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  I talked with pupils about the books that they like to read.  I looked in detail at reading, mathematics and art. For each of these subjects, I held discussions with subject leaders and teachers, visited lessons, looked at samples of pupils work and talked with pupils. I also considered other subjects across the curriculum.  When this school receives a section 5 inspection, inspectors should consider looking in detail at writing, geography and information technology.

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Inspection team

Sue Eastwood, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 26–27 November 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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