Redgate Primary Academy

Inspection of Redgate Primary Academy Somersall Street, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG19 6EL

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 29 and 30 March 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This school is friendly and inclusive. Leaders’ vision for pupils to experience ‘caring, sharing and learning together’ is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils receive personalised, good-quality care and education. Teachers create individual learning plans for pupils. Pupils work towards achieving appropriate targets. These targets are created from their education, health and care (EHC) plans. Pupils enjoy their time in school. They relish the ‘immersion’ days. They access a broad range of subjects. Pupils learn to work in an independent and collaborative way.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff get to know pupils very well. Pupils say that they feel safe here. Staff provide skilled support and nurture for pupils. There are trusting, positive relationships. Leaders work with external agencies and parents and carers to ensure support for pupils is effective.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop their communication skills well, including through symbols and signing. From the early years, children learn to use suitable communication tools. Pupils can express their needs to adults. They know adults they can go to when worried. Pupils learn how to manage and understand their emotions and behaviour. Consistent routines help to reduce pupils’ anxiety. Behaviour is generally good. Bullying is rare. Pupils say that staff sort out bullying or poor behaviour fairly and promptly.

p.2

better?

Leaders have reviewed the curriculum. They have high expectations for pupils. They have developed three curriculum ‘pathways’ to meet pupils’ complex needs. Each pathway provides pupils with a range of ambitious learning opportunities and experiences.

p.2

better?

Staff make learning meaningful. They help pupils to engage with learning. Pupils make connections in their learning across subjects. In some subjects, such as mathematics, it is clear what teachers want pupils to learn. Pupils can practise and apply their knowledge as skills. For example, pupils use their mathematical skills when cooking. In art, pupils use their knowledge of the work of the artist Bridget Riley to inspire their own compositions. Leaders are in the process of developing and ordering the content in some subjects, such as history and geography.

p.2

better?

Leaders prioritise reading. Teachers promote reading for pleasure and to allow pupils to discover new information. They link texts to what pupils are learning. The ‘Redgate reading spine’ ensures that pupils can enjoy a rich variety of texts. Children learn to read using phonics from the early years or as soon as they are ready to do so. The early years provision is rich with opportunities for children to develop their communication, language and reading skills. Pupils who need more help with reading receive focused support. Teachers provide extra phonics sessions where needed. 29 and 30 March 2022

p.2

3

Staff have a secure understanding of pupils’ additional needs. They make sure that learning matches pupils’ individual needs well. Staff have a thorough understanding of the personal and academic progress pupils make. They establish clear routines and expectations from the early years. The provision considers pupils’ often complex sensory requirements.

p.3

3

Pupils’ personal development is a high priority. It is at the core of pupils’ individual learning plans. Pupils learn to understand the reasons for their behaviour. They learn to take responsibility for their actions. There is a strong focus on helping pupils to keep safe, develop independence and acquire life skills. Teachers help pupils to develop their understanding of the wider world. The curriculum supports pupils’ personal development well. Pupils learn about British values such as respect and democracy. They access relationship, sex and health education, which is adapted to meet their needs. Pupils take on responsibilities as members of the school council. They learn the importance of living healthy lifestyles. They relish their school lunches, which feature food from around the world.

p.3

3

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, pupils took part in a range of activities, including visits to places of worship, sports events and residential adventure activities. Leaders have ensured that pupils continue to enjoy their ‘forest school’ activities and take part in visits to the local area. Pupils recently enjoyed taking part in a table cricket competition with other schools at Nottingham University. Leaders are looking forward to broadening pupils’ experiences again in the coming weeks and months.

p.3

3

Most staff feel well supported by leaders in their workload and well-being. They value the ‘family’ of staff who work well together. They appreciate the support of the multi-academy trust for their professional development. Parents speak highly of the school. A typical comment was, ‘I can’t thank the school enough for what they do on a daily basis for my child.’

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders provide staff with appropriate safeguarding training. Staff understand the vulnerability of the pupils in their care. They watch for any changes in the behaviour of non-verbal pupils which may indicate safeguarding concerns. Leaders make sure that pupils learn how to communicate any worries they may have to staff. Pupils learn about potential risks to their safety arising from bullying, knife crime and using the internet. They are taught how to manage these risks.

p.3

Safeguarding

Governors ensure that safeguarding is a high priority for the school. They hold leaders to account for the actions they take to follow up safeguarding concerns.

p.3

4

 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from leaders’ actions that they are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. Leaders need to complete the process of reviewing the curriculum in all subjects within their identified timescale. In so doing, they should ensure that there is clarity in all subjects about what knowledge pupils should learn and when.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

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 .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 29 and 30 March 2022

p.4

School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10212010 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

School category Academy special sponsor-led

p.5

School details

Executive Principal Gareth Letton Courtney Hoop (Principal) Head of School Claire Gouthwaite

p.5

School details

Website https://www.redgateprimary-ac.org.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 Redgate Primary Academy converted to become an academy school in October 2017. When its predecessor school, Redgate School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate overall.  The school is a member of the Diverse Academies Trust.  The school caters for pupils with EHC plans who have a range of special educational needs and/or disabilities. These include: specific learning difficulty; visual impairment; speech, language and communication difficulties; and autistic spectrum disorder.  The school shares a governing body with Yeoman Park Academy, which is a member of the same multi-academy trust.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 29 and 30 March 2022

p.5

6

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

p.6

6

 Inspectors held meetings with the head of school, the principal, the executive principal, the leader for the early years and several curriculum leaders. They also spoke to members of staff. Inspectors spoke to parents at the beginning of the school day and met with some pupils.  The lead inspector met with the chair of governors, the vice-chair of governors, the chief executive officer of the trust, a trustee and the chief education officer with responsibility for primary and special schools for the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into subjects within the strands that make up the school’s three curriculum pathways. These included: ‘my communication’ and reading; ‘my thinking and problem-solving skills’ and mathematics; ‘my creativity’ and art; and ‘my personal, social and emotional development’ and relationships education. Inspectors looked at curriculum plans for these subjects with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about

p.6

6

their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke to curriculum leaders and looked at planning and pupils’ work for other subjects such as history, geography, religious education and computing. The lead inspector listened to some pupils reading.  Inspectors discussed with leaders and staff the school’s approach to safeguarding pupils and checked the single central record. Inspectors reviewed records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding. Checks were made on staff training and safeguarding procedures.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Stephanie Innes-Taylor, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Liz Moore Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 March 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7