Rose Hill Primary School

Inspection of Rose Hill Primary School The Oval, Rose Hill, Oxford OX4 4SF

p.1

Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2022

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 11 and 12 October 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Rose Hill Primary school is a caring school. All pupils receive a welcome into their classroom by their class teacher, reflecting the positive relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils of all ages play well together on the playground, eagerly making use of the climbing equipment.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The new headteacher is raising the ambition of staff and pupils. However, work to improve pupils’ learning is at an early stage. Consequently, across the curriculum many pupils do not learn as well as they could.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The behaviour and conduct of pupils in school is variable. Pupils sometimes disturb each other’s learning. Staff are not consistent in how they manage behaviour. They do not all share the same common high expectations of classroom conduct. Leaders have not ensured that the support given to some pupils to improve their behaviour has been effective.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. They told inspectors that they feel safe and have an adult they can talk to if they have worries or concerns. Younger pupils do not have a clear understanding of bullying, and a few older pupils do not understand the importance of reporting it if it does happen. When unkindness or bullying does happen and is reported, staff deal with it swiftly.

p.2

better?

Leaders have not yet built a well-designed and well-sequenced curriculum. This means they have not identified the key knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn. In the early years, leaders have not yet incorporated sufficient development of communication and language. There is not yet a strong enough focus on vocabulary development throughout the school. In many subjects, leaders have matched the content of the curriculum to the school’s termly themes. This means leaders have focused on activities, rather than on key knowledge.

p.2

better?

Assessment is underdeveloped in many subjects. In some lessons, teachers check to see if pupils have understood key knowledge. Teachers use this information to identify misconceptions and help pupils to address any misunderstandings before they move on. This does not happen systematically across the school.

p.2

better?

Leaders are prioritising reading. They have recently introduced a new reading scheme. This is already having an impact. From the minute children join the school, they learn to read confidently and fluently. Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy learning phonics. However, leaders have not yet ensured that all staff are well trained to deliver the scheme precisely enough. A support programme for staff development is already planned. 11 and 12 October 2022

p.2

3

The majority of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn alongside their peers. The curriculum is not always adapted to support the needs of these pupils. Plans to improve their provision are in place and are already beginning to have an impact. For example, the recently introduced ‘one-page profiles’ provide staff with vital information on how to adapt the curriculum for pupils with SEND effectively.

p.3

3

Behaviour in lessons is often calm and purposeful. However, learning is regularly disturbed by pupils distracting each other or not paying attention to the teacher. Staff do not challenge low-level disruption swiftly or consistently enough. Not all staff and pupils understand the school’s behaviour management system. Consequently, new staff find it hard to establish and maintain the correct behaviour in their classrooms. At breaktime and lunchtime, the majority of pupils behave well. Some pupils have not learned how to behave sensibly and safely in the dining hall. A small minority of pupils are not kind to each other and do not always follow the instructions of staff.

p.3

3

Pastoral care and support are strong. A team of dedicated and well-trained staff support attendance and safeguarding at the school. Systems of monitoring absence are well established. Nevertheless, leaders have not been ambitious or tenacious enough in their attempts to improve attendance rapidly and consistently. The punctuality of pupils has improved, but leaders know they still have work to do in this area as well.

p.3

3

Leaders have not placed a strong enough focus on the wider development of pupils. Leaders have not yet identified the key knowledge they want pupils to learn in the personal, social and health education curriculum. Activities to develop pupils’ awareness of different cultures and faiths are woven through the curriculum. Pupils learn about democracy in history and vote for their representatives on the ‘student council’. Leaders have not yet ensured that clubs and activities, which were popular with pupils before the pandemic began, have restarted again.

p.3

3

River Learning Trust has clear plans for the future to support the improvement of this school. Governance has very recently been strengthened. Together with the new headteacher, leaders at all levels are beginning to collaborate effectively. Trustees and senior trust leaders must continue to carry out their roles effectively in setting strategy and holding leaders to account at Rose Hill School.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The school has a securely embedded culture of safeguarding. Leaders, including governors, ensure that children are safe at Rose Hill. All staff know how to identify concerns and the importance of reporting them quickly. Procedures are thorough and robust. Leaders follow up any concerns swiftly and diligently. 11 and 12 October 2022

p.3

4

The safeguarding team meets regularly with the pastoral team to discuss any concerns they have. Together they secure appropriate help for any pupils who might need it.

p.4

4

Strong relationships between staff and pupils mean that pupils know who they would talk to if they had a concern.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

◼ The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in most subjects. It is not yet fully clear what pupils should learn and when, to build their knowledge over time. Leaders and governors must ensure the curriculum continues to be developed so there is clarity about what pupils should know and be able to do in all subjects across the school. ◼ The school’s curriculum in the early years is not sufficiently well planned and sequenced to ensure that children develop knowledge and skills across all seven areas of learning. Children do not develop communication and language skills systematically enough as a result. Leaders need to ensure the curriculum in the early years explicitly incorporates all seven areas of learning. ◼ Leaders have not established a clear and effective approach to assessment and feedback. Pupils do not always benefit from helpful feedback. Leaders must ensure that they establish clear expectations for assessment and feedback and

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

that staff apply agreed strategies consistently. ◼ The behaviour management system is not fit for purpose. Pupils and staff are often confused about the expectations of the policy. As a result, pupils’ behaviour and conduct are not consistently good. Leaders should ensure that expectations are clear, fully understood, consistently applied and followed by all pupils and staff. ◼ Low-level disruption in lessons is not challenged swiftly or effectively by staff. This means learning is disrupted in many lessons. Leaders should ensure that all staff share the same high expectations of pupils’ behaviour in lessons and that low- level disruption is eradicated. ◼ Leaders’ work to improve attendance and reduce persistent absence has not been robust enough. Absence and persistent absence remain high. Pupils, therefore, do not benefit as well as they should from their education. Leaders must take decisive action to reduce absence and persistent absence as quickly as possible.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

◼ Leaders have not ensured that the provision of opportunities to experience, nurture and develop talents and interests has re-started since the pandemic. As a result, there are very few clubs and activities for pupils to participate in, either during or after the school day. Leaders should review the school’s offer, ensuring that it is as rich and broad as it can be, and pursue strategies to encourage pupils to participate. 11 and 12 October 2022

p.4

5

◼ Leaders, including governors, have not ensured that there has been a strong enough focus on providing a high-quality education for all pupils. As a result, there are many policies and procedures that need revisiting, refreshing and embedding. Leaders must ensure that their plans to improve the school are enacted rapidly and that robust quality assurance systems are in place to enable leaders to evaluate their actions.

p.5

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.5

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.5

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.5

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. 11 and 12 October 2022

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10241588 Type of school Primary

p.6

School details

School category Academy special sponsor-led

p.6

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.6

Information about this school

◼ Rose Hill Primary School converted to become an academy school in September 2018 and joined River Learning Trust at the same time. ◼ When its predecessor school, of the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to require improvement. ◼ The current headteacher joined the school in September 2022. ◼ The chair of governors has been in post for two weeks. ◼ The school does not use alternative provision.

p.6

Information about this inspection

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

p.6

Information about this inspection

◼ 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. 11 and 12 October 2022

p.6

7

◼ Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders of the school, members of staff, pupils and parents. ◼ The lead inspector met with governors and the director of primary education from River Learning Trust. She also held a telephone conversation with the chair of the trustees. ◼ Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history, art and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also heard pupils read. ◼ To inspect safeguarding, inspectors reviewed a wide range of safeguarding documents and records, including the school’s record of recruitment checks. Inspectors also talked to a range of staff and pupils about safeguarding. ◼ Inspectors spoke with staff, pupils and parents to gather their views. They

p.7

7

considered 10 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including 10 free-text comments. Inspectors also took account of 19 responses to the staff survey and 13 responses to the pupil survey.

p.7

Inspection team

Linda Culling, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Matthew Rixson Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 2022

p.7

8

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.8

8

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.8

8

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.8

8

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

p.8

8

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

p.8