Randlay Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Randlay Primary School Randlay, Local Centre, Telford, Shropshire TF3 2LR

p.1

Inspection dates: 28 and 29 September 2022

p.1

Outcome

Randlay Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Randlay Primary school is a place where pupils come first. There is a nurturing ethos throughout the school. Pupils are happy to come to school and they feel safe.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for the behaviour and attitudes of pupils. They provide support to help pupils reach these high expectations in lessons and throughout the day. Pupils who use the sunshine room enjoy their time there. Pupils say that there is no bullying at their school. Leaders make sure that they stop any unkind behaviour as soon as they know about it.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy an engaging curriculum. For example, they speak with enthusiasm about their outdoor learning where they can work with nature. Pupils know and remember a lot about what they learn across the curriculum. They are also making connections across their learning. Most pupils read well for their age. However, some pupils do not read as fluently as they need to.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. They enjoy sports, music and cooking clubs. The wider curriculum also gives pupils cultural experiences, such as visiting the theatre and trips to local places of natural beauty.

p.1

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

Leaders and governors have worked with determination to continue improving the quality of education at the school. They have made some significant changes to the curriculum in recent years. This has included a revised approach to the teaching of mathematics and a new phonics programme. The rest of the curriculum has also been redesigned. All subjects have a clear and coherently designed curriculum in place. Leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge they want pupils to know and remember from the early years through to Year 6.

p.1

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

Leaders make reading a high priority. Pupils learn to read and love to read. In Nursery, 28 and 29 September 2022

p.1

2

this starts with children listening to stories and joining in with repeated phrases. Children develop their awareness of sounds in the environment, and in words. In Reception and Year 1, pupils build on this through daily phonics lessons. They read books matched to the sounds they know, and they practise reading these books regularly. From Year 2, pupils continue to develop their understanding of texts. They explore chapters in detail throughout the week, developing their knowledge of vocabulary. Most pupils can read and understand age-appropriate texts. However, there are a small number who cannot read fluently. This hinders their confidence and understanding of what they read.

p.2

2

Learning to count and understand number is also an important part of the curriculum. Again, this starts in Nursery where the children have a variety of opportunities to explore mathematics. The curriculum is designed to build on this knowledge and deepen pupils’ understanding. Pupils know and remember what they have learned. They can reason, and problem-solve as a result.

p.2

2

In other subjects, pupils have a growing understanding of some important concepts such as settlement, conflict and sacrifice in history. Pupils in Year 3 could explain clearly why the Anglo-Saxons built their villages near rivers. Older pupils could link their work on suffragettes to the idea of standing up for what you believe in and equality.

p.2

2

Leaders have thought carefully about the effective use of assessment in different subjects. Staff use a range of strategies, such as quick recall questions and quizzes, to inform their daily teaching. They also use more formal assessments to measure pupils’ progress.

p.2

2

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive a variety of support to access the curriculum. This can be through structured support for learning in the classroom or adapting resources. It can also be through additional adults working with small groups or individuals. The support enables pupils to learn more of the curriculum. Pupils also benefit from having time with pastoral staff to support their well-being.

p.2

2

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Learning is rarely disrupted as staff provide effective support to meet pupils’ needs. Pupils are friendly and welcoming to visitors.

p.2

2

Through the wider curriculum, pupils learn about issues such as ocean pollution. Visits to places of worship help pupils understand other cultures and beliefs. They explore the fundamental British values by voting democratically for a range of things. These experiences help to prepare them for life in modern Britain.

p.2

2

Staff feel well supported by leaders. They feel that their workload is considered and that leaders do not ask them to do things that are unnecessary.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 28 and 29 September 2022

p.2

3

Leaders make sure that all staff receive appropriate training in safeguarding. Staff know how to recognise signs that a pupil might be at risk of harm. There are clear reporting procedures in place. Leaders respond quickly when staff report anything of concern. They liaise with external agencies when required. They are rigorous when following up on concerns and ensure that pupils get the right support to stay safe.

p.3

3

Pupils learn about staying safe online and in the community. Pupils know who to speak to in school if they are worried about anything.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 For a small number of pupils, the curriculum in early reading has not met their needs. As a result, they cannot read fluently or confidently. Leaders should ensure that these pupils receive effective support to enable them to read with increased fluency and confidence.

p.3

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 an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2013.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 28 and 29 September 2022

p.3

4

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. 28 and 29 September 2022

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 27 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Leaders use one alternative provider. This is registered provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector reviewed documents on the school’s website, as well as published information about the school’s performance.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the pastoral lead, subject leaders, governors, including the chair of the governing body, and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the lead inspector met with subject leaders, spoke to teachers, visited lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work from the current and previous year. 28 and 29 September 2022

p.5

6

 The inspector met with the headteacher, who is the designated safeguarding lead, and the deputy headteacher and the pastoral leader, who are also on the safeguarding team. Pupils’ case files were reviewed. The single central record of the checks on staff’s suitability to work with children was scrutinised.  The inspector met with staff to discuss their workload and the support they receive to carry out their roles.  The inspector spoke to pupils about how safe they feel in school and how they learn to keep themselves safe.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and the staff questionnaire.  There were no responses to the pupil survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Helen Forrest, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 28 and 29 September 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