The Roebuck School

Inspection of The Roebuck School Inkerman Street, Ashton, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2BN

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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 1 and 2 February 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are exceptionally well cared for by the adults in school. Some pupils join the school at different times in the year. For many of these pupils, English is not their main language. They are warmly welcomed into this lively school community, where diversity is celebrated. These pupils quickly feel confident in their new surroundings.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy in school. They enjoy their playtimes. They join in games or choose quieter activities. This supports them to keep physically and mentally healthy. Typically, pupils behave well at playtimes. If their play becomes too boisterous, well- trained adults help pupils to make the right choices. Pupils appreciate this support. It helps them to feel safe. They said that teachers deal with any behavioural incidents, including bullying, fairly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils. They have improved the curriculum to help pupils to know and remember more. The early years curriculum has been well thought through to meet children’s needs. This means that children are well prepared for key stage 1. Any pupils who need extra support get it quickly. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) as well as those who are learning to speak English.

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better?

Leaders have improved the way the curriculum is designed and led. The result is a well-organised curriculum that meets the needs and interests of the pupils. Subject leaders are passionate and knowledgeable about their subjects. They have given careful thought to building pupils’ knowledge within and across the mixed-age classes. Leaders’ plans develop pupils’ vocabulary across all subjects and broaden their experiences. However, some pupils do not attend school regularly. These pupils do not benefit fully from leaders’ ambitious curriculum.

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better?

The curriculum in some subjects is well established. Leaders have provided teachers with the support that they need to deliver this well. Teachers carefully introduce, check and revisit the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. Pupils, including pupils with SEND, talked enthusiastically about their learning in these subjects. In other subjects, pupils’ knowledge has not built as well over time. Leaders have thought carefully about why pupils have gaps in their knowledge. They have refined their curriculum plans in response. However, these changes are more recent and not fully embedded.

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better?

Pupils are taught to read by well-trained staff. Children are introduced to phonics sessions in the Reception Year. They take part enthusiastically and quickly learn new letters and sounds. The books that pupils are given to read are carefully chosen to match the sounds they are learning. Pupils who need extra support have regular opportunities to read to adults. This helps them to develop their fluency and confidence. 1 and 2 February 2022

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Staff throughout the school identify pupils who may have SEND well and provide effective support for them. This helps these pupils to learn alongside their classmates. All pupils are expected to try their best. This includes those pupils with SEND who find it difficult to manage their behaviour. Staff are skilled at giving these pupils the support that they need so that they can get the most from their lessons.

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Pupils know that adults expect them to behave well. The youngest children listen carefully to the adults and work and play together well. Older pupils know they should be ‘ready, respectful and responsible’. They try hard to live up to these expectations. Pupils walk up and down the stairs sensibly and return into school calmly after playtimes. This allows lessons to get off to a brisk start and to continue uninterrupted.

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Leaders carefully consider pupils’ wider development. Leaders ensure that pupils benefit from the high-quality opportunities on offer. These include trips, clubs and music lessons. Pupils enjoy learning about other cultures in subjects such as art and geography. They develop a secure understanding of what is right and wrong. This includes when thinking about issues such as knife crime and about what makes a healthy relationship. Pupils are well prepared for their future lives.

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Leaders and governors know what is working well and what needs to improve. They have clear plans in place to bring about improvements. Staff are all on board. They value the opportunities they have been given to develop professionally. Staff appreciate that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know their school community exceptionally well. Staff are trained to spot the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. Leaders are persistent in following up any concerns raised. They work closely with a range of external agencies to provide support for pupils, and their families, should this be needed. Pupils also benefit from the effective pastoral support provided by the family support worker.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have carefully designed the curriculum to teach pupils about safety, including personal safety. Pupils feel confident to share any concerns that they may have with their teachers and other school staff.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have only recently refined their curriculum thinking to identify the key knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. Pupils have not built up a rich body of knowledge in each subject as a result. Leaders should ensure that new curriculums are fully implemented. This will help pupils to build on what they know and can do in all subjects as they move through the school. 1 and 2 February 2022

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 Some pupils have very low attendance. Consequently, their learning is disrupted. Leaders have made pupils’ attendance a priority, but there is more work to do. Leaders should continue to work with parents, carers and other agencies to ensure that all pupils attend regularly. This will support pupils to achieve as well as they can.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 school 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. 1 and 2 February 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 February 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.  There has been significant turbulence in staffing for some time. Since the last inspection in 2018, staffing has stabilised.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders and members of staff.  An inspector spoke to four representatives of the governing body, including the chair of the governors. An inspector met with a representative of the local authority and the school’s improvement partner.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science, history and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject 1 and 2 February 2022

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leaders, looked at curriculum plans, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector observed children and pupils reading to a trusted adult.  Inspectors also looked at a number of other subjects on the school’s curriculum. They looked at plans and samples of pupils’ work and talked to subject leaders and pupils.  Inspectors considered the views of parents and carers shared through Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also spoke with parents as they dropped their children off at school.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around school, in lessons and at lunchtime. They spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. Inspectors also considered the views of pupils shared through the pupil survey.  Inspectors checked the arrangements for keeping pupils safe. They reviewed documentation and spoke to leaders, staff and pupils.

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 Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They considered the views of staff shared through the staff survey.  Inspectors considered a range of documentation shared by school leaders, including the school development plan, minutes of governors’ meetings and leaders’ self-evaluation document.

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Inspection team

Jackie Stillings, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Joan Williamson Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 February 2022

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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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