Rockliffe Manor Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Rockliffe Manor Primary School Bassant Road, London SE18 2NP

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Outcome

Rockliffe Manor Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils look forward to coming to the school every day. They work hard in lessons. This is because staff have high expectations of all pupils. For example, pupils describe how important it is to read high-quality books at home and school. Pupils enjoy their learning and described it as ‘exciting’. They particularly like geography and mathematics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know pupils very well. Pupils report that they are well cared for at the school. They explained to me how the school helps them to keep safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Mutual respect is evident between pupils and staff. Pupils said that bullying is rare. When it does occur, they know by name the adults who will help them to sort it out. Staff provide strong pastoral care.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is very positive in lessons and at playtimes. Pupils are polite and eager to talk about their school. They are enthusiastic and confident learners. Pupils learn a lot about their rights and responsibilities and how to be a good citizen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils contribute to the life of the school in a wide range of activities. For example, pupils lead playtime games and encourage others to read. They are keen to develop the school’s eco agenda. Parents and carers told me that the school is ‘more like a family’ and is at the heart of their community.

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

Leaders ensure that what pupils learn in every subject is well planned and ambitious. Pupils told me that teachers make learning exciting. They said that poor behaviour almost never disturbs their lessons. Throughout the school, including in the early years, pupils have positive attitudes to learning and want to do well.

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

Reading is a strength of the school and has high priority. The teaching of phonics is carefully planned so that pupils quickly learn to read. Teachers have high expectations 3–4 December 2019

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and are well trained. New teachers get support so that they can teach phonics accurately. The teaching of phonics starts as soon as children enter the Nursery. The early years provides a language-rich environment designed to help children to learn their letters and sounds. Teachers check pupils’ progress regularly, so they are always taught at the right level. They watch out for any pupils who fall behind and help them to catch up. Pupils read a wide range of books with confidence and enjoyment.

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Mathematics is also a strength. Teachers’ planning ensures that pupils learn well during their time at the school. Pupils develop their confidence and skills in problem solving and mathematical enquiry. I saw children in the early years singing about numbers and learning how to subtract. Older pupils use what they learned in the past to help them with new learning, such as in place value.

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Pupils of all ages love their learning in geography. The geography curriculum is ambitious and makes links to other areas of learning. For example, in Year 3, pupils were learning how to challenge stereotypes and raise awareness of social justice issues. In Year 6, pupils were learning about palm oil production and its impact on the ecology of Borneo. The lessons built on pupils’ awareness of sustainability. Pupils made a point of telling me how much they enjoyed these lessons. They know the importance of learning about their local area and the wider world.

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The science plan sets out for staff the order in which pupils should be taught scientific concepts. Teachers plan lessons that build on what pupils know. Across the school, pupils do lots of experiments and investigations, but sometimes pupils’ understanding of how to work scientifically does not develop as well as it should. Pupils are given key words and a glossary of scientific terms for each science topic. However, pupils are less sure of what this scientific vocabulary means. Pupils need time to review and deepen their subject knowledge.

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Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive excellent support. Teachers ensure that pupils who have SEND learn the same wide range of subjects as other pupils. They adapt work to meet pupils’ needs. As a result, pupils who have SEND achieve well.

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Leaders invest in professional development for all staff. Teachers appreciate the care leaders take to ensure a healthy work–life balance. In return, teachers work hard and do their best for all pupils.

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Throughout the school, staff provide a range of activities that enrich pupils’ learning and personal development. Leaders make full use of the local area and plan a range of visits to museums, art galleries and concerts for all pupils. Pupils have a variety of extra- curricular clubs that they can attend.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a culture in the school that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. 3–4 December 2019

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Training for all staff is regular and kept up to date. Staff were able to tell me about the specific safeguarding concerns in the local area. The safeguarding team knows individual pupils and families well.

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Pupils of all ages told me they feel safe in the school and they know how to report any concerns.

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Pupils were able to give examples of how to stay safe online. Parents highlighted the pastoral care the school provides.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The implementation of the science curriculum does not ensure that pupils remember and understand key science vocabulary. As a result, pupils do not articulate their learning well enough. Leaders need to ensure that pupils remember what they have been taught and build on this learning each year.

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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. 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 the predecessor school Rockliffe Manor Primary School to be good in September 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 3–4 December 2019

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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. 3–4 December 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10124656 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The board of trustees

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Rockliffe Manor Primary School converted to become an academy school on 1 June 2017. When its predecessor school Rockliffe Manor Primary School was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.

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Information about this inspection

 I held discussions with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, and middle leaders. I spoke with a representative of the multi-academy trust and held a meeting with three governors, including the chair of the governing body.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and science. In these subjects, I visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work, spoke with staff and pupils and met with subject leaders.  I spoke with pupils in class and informally. I also spoke to a wide range of parents. I observed pupils’ behaviour in class, in the playgrounds, at lunchtimes and as they moved around the school. I spoke with a range of support staff in all areas of the school. I talked with pupils about their work in different subjects and we looked at their work together. I heard pupils from different year groups read, including in Year 1 and 3–4 December 2019

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Year 2. I spoke with pupils of all ages about the books they are reading. I also visited all classes, including the Nursery and Reception Years, alongside senior leaders.  I scrutinised a wide range of records and documentation related to safeguarding, behaviour and welfare. I looked in detail at the school’s single central record of staff checks. I considered the 31 responses to Ofsted Parent View and the 17 responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Sean Flood, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3–4 December 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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