Robins Lane Community Primary School

Inspection of Robins Lane Community Primary School Kinmel Street, St Helens, Merseyside WA9 3NF

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 7–8 January 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

Over the last two years, Robins Lane Primary School has been changing for the better. Many parents and carers recognise and appreciate the improvements that have been made. School leaders, at all levels, have transformed the school. They are passionate and determined to help pupils succeed. Everyone believes in the school’s motto of ‘Aim High, Fly High.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a welcoming environment in which pupils feel well cared for, happy and safe. Everyone at Robins Lane lives and breathes the school’s values. They are part of pupils’ daily experience. Pupils enjoy positive relationships with staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum inspires pupils to be the best that they can be. Pupils behave well and respect people’s differences. They are kind and sensitive to each other’s needs. If bullying occurs, teachers deal with it swiftly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations. They expect pupils to work hard and ‘never give up’. They learn through a well-thought-out, broad and exciting curriculum. They produce work of high quality across the curriculum in art, design and technology, history and geography. It is a good place to learn.

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better?

Governors, leaders and staff have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and the priorities for development. They are fully focused on continuing to improve. Leaders are clear about what pupils should achieve across all subjects and they check that this is happening in school.

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better?

Pupils learn about a wide range of subjects. The curriculum is broad and interesting. Leaders have designed the curriculum well so that pupils build on what they have already learned. Teaching in the school helps pupils to know more and remember more. This enables them to succeed in their next steps in education.

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better?

Robins Lane helps pupils develop into active, considerate citizens of the world. For example, the pupils who act as road safety officers saw that their crossing was not working. With the help of staff, they wrote to the council to get it fixed. Pupils understand their school values. However, pupils are not as clear as they could be about how they relate to fundamental British values.

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better?

Pupils told inspectors they enjoyed visiting places of worship and exploring Liverpool. Teachers link these visits closely to what pupils are learning in the national curriculum. This helps to deepen pupils’ understanding.

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better?

Pupils who spoke to us said that they enjoy coming to school. Their attendance has improved in the last two years. They are proud of their school and are keen to learn. Pupils talk to each other with enthusiasm about what they are learning. Their good 7–8 January 2020

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The reading curriculum is well organised. Teachers are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They focus on developing pupils’ fluency and understanding. They also work on increasing the range of words that pupils know. Pupils have exciting and interesting books to read. Teachers ensure that pupils have access to a wide range of texts to deepen their knowledge of other subjects. Children and younger pupils are taught phonics from the start of school. Books are matched well to children’s and pupils’ reading skills so that they can practise the sounds they have been learning in class.

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In the last two years, the school’s national test results have improved. This is because of leaders’ actions and the positive impact they are having on pupils’ achievement. Pupils in key stage 1 attained as well as other pupils across the country in reading, writing and mathematics. In key stage 2, the results for writing and mathematics improved in 2019. Governors, leaders and teachers are taking action to further improve pupils’ achievement in reading by the time they leave Year 6.

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In the early years, leaders have planned an interesting and ambitious curriculum. They focus on children’s language, communication and mathematics from the moment that they start in the Nursery class. Teachers have good subject knowledge. They give children plenty of opportunities to develop well across all areas of learning. They mostly use a wide range of resources to help to build children’s knowledge and spark their interest. The majority of children are ready for Year 1 by the time they leave Reception.

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All pupils, from the Nursery class to Year 6, have access to the whole curriculum. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. These pupils get extra help to match their needs. Nobody misses out on learning the full curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are very good at identifying, helping and supporting vulnerable children and their families. Staff are aware of the procedures that they should follow if they have a concern about a pupil. Any concerns are documented and evidenced appropriately. The safeguarding team shares information effectively with external organisations so that pupils get the support that they need.

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Safeguarding

Appropriate checks are made on the adults who work in and visit the school. Governors are aware of and fulfil their statutory safeguarding duties. Keeping children and pupils safe is of the highest priority at Robins Lane.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Attainment for pupils in national assessments is improving as a result of leaders’ swift and effective actions. However, in some key areas, it is still below the national average, particularly in reading in key stage 2. Leaders need to ensure that planned actions in reading lead to continued improvement in pupils’ achievement in the national tests and assessments to reflect the good work that is currently going on in school.  Pupils have an excellent understanding of their school values and what they mean to them. At present, they do not relate these values as effectively as they could to some aspects of fundamental British values, despite leaders planning to incorporate them into a considered curriculum. Teachers and leaders need to ensure that pupils understand how their values and experiences in Robins Lane connect and interrelate to the full range of fundamental British values.

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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 are the provider and you are 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. 7–8 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10110882 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 11–12 July 2017

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher took up his post in September 2017.  The governing body was reconstituted in March 2018.

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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

 We met with the local authority representatives, governors, the headteacher, the assistant headteacher, the early reading leader, teachers, pupils and some subject leaders.  We did deep dives these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and art. We visited lessons with leaders, looked at pupils’ work and met with pupils and staff. We observed phonics teaching and listened to pupils read. On the second day of the inspection, we also looked at wider aspects of the curriculum, such as personal, social and health education, history, and design and technology.  We reviewed leaders’ checks on the suitability of staff to work with children. We looked at attendance information, behaviour logs and safeguarding records. We 7–8 January 2020

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held discussions with senior leaders about safeguarding.  We considered the views of parents, staff and pupils by analysing responses to the Ofsted online questionnaires.  We spoke with pupils and observed their behaviour at various times during the day, including breaktime and lunchtime and in the breakfast club.

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Inspection team

Steve Kirkpatrick, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Quinn Her Majesty’s Inspector 7–8 January 2020

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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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