Richmond Hill Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Richmond Hill Primary Academy Melton Road, Sprotbrough, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN5 7SB

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Outcome

Richmond Hill Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending school. They study a wide range of subjects. Pupils contribute well to the community. School ambassadors lead charity events such as Macmillan coffee mornings to raise funds for charities. Leaders encourage pupils to be good citizens. Pupils support national events such as Children in Need and Anti-Bullying Week. The school’s values of ‘collaboration, aspiration, resilience and endeavour’ are promoted through the school’s reward system. Pupils enjoy attending a wide range of clubs such as construction, cooking, and hockey.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school environment is well organised and attractive. Displays celebrate the good work that pupils do. Staff greet pupils warmly each day as they enter the school. The school’s support team provides pupils with effective social and emotional support. Should they need to, pupils can seek help by approaching staff or using the school’s worry box. Pupils are taught how to make healthy choices when they eat. They know how to stay safe when using the internet.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents would recommend the school. Pupils’ behaviour is good. They move around the school calmly and are respectful of the beliefs and opinions of others. Pupils listen carefully in lessons and join in class discussions enthusiastically. They listen to other pupils’ ideas and are eager to offer their own. Pupils say that bullying is not an issue for them. They are confident that teachers would deal with any incidents of poor behaviour.

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

Children settle into the Nursery quickly. The leader of the early years has developed an effective curriculum. She has reviewed and amended curriculum plans so that they focus on the knowledge that children need to learn. Children build on what they know each term as they move through Nursery and Reception.

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

The curriculum for early reading helps pupils to read with fluency and confidence. Staff involve parents so they can help their children learn the letters and the sounds they 8 and 9 February 2022

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represent. Pupils read books that use the sounds they know. Teachers check regularly to see how well pupils are doing. Pupils receive extra help if they are falling behind. Staff have received training to use the school’s phonics programme. The leader of reading helps teachers to continue to improve the way they teach by visiting their lessons and providing advice.

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Leaders have introduced a new mathematics curriculum. The new approach provides more opportunities for pupils to build on what they know. Pupils spend time each day practising things they have already been taught. As a result, they can remember important mathematical ideas and vocabulary. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. Adults ask questions that encourage pupils to think carefully.

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Leaders have reviewed and improved curriculum plans in subjects across the wider curriculum. They have started to identify the most important things pupils must know. Teachers follow these plans closely. Teachers think carefully about the activities they plan. For example, during the inspection teachers shared a bag of rations when teaching pupils about the Second World War. This helped pupils to understand the reasons why the population had a limited supply of food. However, leaders of subjects other than English and mathematics do not evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum. They do not know if pupils have understood what they have been taught. This means that leaders do not know what needs to improve. Senior leaders have recognised this and have a plan in place to support all subject leaders this year. Subject leaders will work alongside senior leaders to check what pupils have learned.

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There are thorough systems in place to identify pupils who have additional learning needs. Staff work closely with outside agencies to provide effective support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders and teachers check often how well these pupils are doing. Pupils with SEND receive appropriate support in classrooms. This means that they can access the same curriculum as other pupils.

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Teachers and support staff appreciate the efforts that leaders go to when considering their workload. Staff work well as a team to help each other and share ideas. Governors provide effective support for school leaders. They provide a strong link to the school community. Staff benefit from a range of opportunities provided by the multi-academy trust. They are able to take part in a wide range of training events. Trust leaders challenge school leaders appropriately. Trust leaders visit the school regularly to check that the school’s plans are being carried out.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors ensure that safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. They carry out their responsibilities diligently. Leaders ensure that thorough checks are made when new staff are appointed. There are detailed induction procedures for staff who are new to the school. Staff are aware of the latest changes to statutory safeguarding guidance. These changes are reflected in the school’s safeguarding policy. 8 and 9 February 2022

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Staff and governors have received relevant safeguarding training. This ensures that they are aware of a wide range of potential safeguarding issues. Leaders check to make sure staff remember how to deal with safeguarding issues throughout the year. Staff know what to do, and who to share information with, should they have any concerns about the welfare of a pupil.

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe through the school’s curriculum. For example, pupils learn how to stay safe when cycling on roads and know what to do if they are approached by strangers.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Foundation subject leaders do not check what pupils have learned carefully enough. This means they do not know if pupils have understood what they have been taught or if the curriculum is being delivered effectively. Leaders should establish systems to check what pupils have learned and remembered.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

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 . 8 and 9 February 2022

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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. 8 and 9 February 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211187 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Rose Learning Trust, a multi-academy trust.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the principal, head of school, special educational needs coordinator and curriculum leaders. Meetings also took place with members of the teaching staff and with teaching support staff.  The inspector met with members of the local governing body and the chief executive officer of the trust.  The inspector undertook deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 8 and 9 February 2022

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 The inspector reviewed documents relating to safeguarding, including records on the school’s online recording system and the single central record.  The inspector met with staff to discuss the training they have received, how leaders support them and how workload is managed.  Seventy-seven responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, were considered. There were 33 responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for staff, which were also considered by the inspector. There were no responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for pupils.

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Inspection team

Jaimie Holbrook, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 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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