Rushcombe First School

Inspection of Rushcombe First School Hanham Road, Corfe Mullen, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 3PX

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Inspection dates: 30 November and 1 December 2022

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected since September 2007. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

‘This is an exceptional school with the utmost emphasis placed on the child’s need and education’ is a view shared by many parents and shows what it is like to be a pupil at Rushcombe. Pupils flourish at this school and are proud to be part of it. Staff create an atmosphere which is calm and productive. They have high expectations of all pupils and as a result, pupils achieve extremely well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They fully understand the school’s ethos and values. Pupils are supportive and caring of each other during lessons and social times. Bullying is extremely rare. If it does happen, pupils say adults sort it out quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect all pupils to be responsible, respectful and active members of the school who contribute positively to it. Talk together time encourages every pupil to have a voice. This builds their confidence and self-esteem. The school offers pupils a wide range of clubs, from sports to gardening and drama. These are fully inclusive and well attended by pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff offer excellent pastoral support to pupils and their families. This ensures pupils feel happy and safe in school and are ready to learn.

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better?

Leaders have designed a rich, inclusive and ambitious curriculum that has the pupils’ needs at its heart. The quality of pupils’ work is consistently of a high standard across the curriculum. Pupils can talk about their learning in depth and remember content from previous years. They can make links between learning in different subjects, such as history and geography. Teachers are meticulous in curriculum planning. This ensures that pupils learn and remember the right content at the right time. Pupils identified with special educational needs and/or disabilities enjoy the same curriculum as their peers. These pupils achieve extremely well. Teachers constantly check what pupils have learned to ensure they are not at risk of falling behind. Pupils’ achievement across the curriculum is outstanding.

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better?

Pupils learn to read as soon as possible. Children learn phonics from the start. They benefit from highly effective phonics teaching in the early years and across the school. Reading books precisely match the sounds that pupils know. Staff are highly skilled in the teaching of reading. This means they are quick to spot any pupils at risk of falling behind and provide the support they need to keep up. Story time takes place every day. Pupils say teachers are enthusiastic and bring the stories alive through their use of voice. Pupils can talk about their favourite books and authors. High-quality books are everywhere in school and are easily accessible. Leaders promote a love of reading. For example, pupils listen to audio picture stories while eating their lunch. Pupils enjoy these stories which further develop their love of reading. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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Pupils’ wider personal development is integral to the school’s work. The curriculum for personal, social and health education is planned and sequenced with care. Pupils build knowledge of how to keep themselves healthy and lead safe, active lives. They show their deep understanding of different cultures, faiths, types of families and relationships. Pupils experience philosophy questions that are planned throughout the curriculum. This enables them to reflect and expand their thinking and value other beliefs and opinions that may be different to their own. Through their personal development, pupils, including children in the early years, are taught to respect each other, to listen and to be listened to.

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Pupils are exceptionally respectful of both each other and adults. This was seen during the inspection, where they warmly welcomed inspectors, opened doors and demonstrated impeccable manners. Pupils are positive and enthusiastic learners who embrace every opportunity the school provides. They show commitment to their education through their regular attendance and positive attitudes in lessons.

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The relationship between leaders and staff is harmonious. They are united in their belief that every pupil deserves the very best quality of care and education. They are ably supported by governors who provide both support and challenge. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school saying, for example, ‘teachers work so hard to create exciting, relevant and interesting learning adventures that spark the children’s love of learning that lasts beyond their time at Rushcombe’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding with the mantra ‘it could happen here’. Staff are well trained to notice and report any signs of concern. Leaders respond swiftly to support pupils and families in need of help. They do not hesitate to escalate concerns when needed. Leaders carry out the required checks on the suitability of staff to work with pupils.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide a curriculum that teaches pupils to understand age-appropriate risks, including personal safety and healthy relationships. Pupils know that adults will listen to them if they have any concerns.

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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. 30 November and 1 December 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. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 September 2007

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Information about this school

 This school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

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

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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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and art and design. For each deep dive, the 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 listened to pupils in Years 1, 2, and 3 read to an adult.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation, including the safeguarding checks carried out on staff working at the school. They considered how well the designated safeguarding leads act on concerns about pupils’ welfare 30 November and 1 December 2022

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and safety. Inspectors talked to pupils, staff and governors about how the school keeps everyone safe.  Inspectors considered key documentation, including the school self-evaluation and school development plans.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Inspectors met with leaders to discuss how they respond to behaviour incidents and pupils’ attendance.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, other school staff and four members of the governing body.  An inspector met with an education adviser from Dorset local authority.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text replies. They spoke to parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors took into consideration the responses to the surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Jen Southall, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gareth Simons Ofsted Inspector 30 November and 1 December 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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