Redhill Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Redhill Primary Academy Gatcombe Way, Priorslee, Telford, Shropshire TF2 9GZ

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 December 2022

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Outcome

Redhill Primary Academy continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love learning at Redhill Primary Academy. Leaders have planned a broad and ambitious curriculum that builds pupils’ academic knowledge over time. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn consistently well. Many become confident, enquiring and articulate learners as a result of the education offered by the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum also promotes pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn to respect those who are different from themselves. They have many opportunities to take responsibility and to influence how the school runs. Pupils take on roles, for example as playground friends or members of the e-safety committee.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school. Staff resolve any difficulties as soon as these arise. Leaders set clear and consistent rules for pupils’ conduct right from when children start in early years. Pupils behave very well on the playground and in classrooms. Disruption to learning is extremely rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, enjoy a wide range of after-school clubs. These include sports, arts and craft activities. Many come to represent the school competitively. Trips, including residential visits in three year groups, greatly enrich the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers much appreciate the positive experiences that their children enjoy at the school. 13 and 14 December 2022

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

Leaders ensure that learning to read is an absolute priority. Pupils follow a structured phonics programme from early years onwards. This programme ensures that pupils learn letters and their sounds in a logical order. Staff make useful checks on how well pupils learn. Staff work closely with parents and expect pupils to read frequently to an adult. Staff provide effective support for any pupils at risk of falling behind. Books for younger pupils are well matched to their phonics knowledge. Across the school, pupils read widely, including non-fiction texts and a range of poetry. They become confident and enthusiastic readers by the time they leave the school.

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

Leaders have planned the curriculum with great care. Pupils study a broad range of subjects. Leaders have considered what pupils need to know by the time they leave the school, so that they are thoroughly prepared for secondary school. Staff make sure that the knowledge children gain in early years is a great springboard for learning in Year 1. In each subject, teachers break content down into small steps. This helps pupils to build new knowledge onto concepts they already understand. For example, in mathematics, pupils gain a deep understanding about how factors work and what fractions are before going on to add fractions together.

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

Teachers have the expertise they need in order to teach the curriculum very well. Teachers consistently help pupils to remember key knowledge in their long-term memories. Their use of assessment is particularly effective. Teachers take great care to check on any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and to adapt lessons accordingly. Across the curriculum, pupils make great strides in knowing and remembering more. However, in a small number of cases, pupils do not remember all the knowledge that leaders intend.

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

Staff are highly skilled at identifying the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Leaders make sure that staff are suitably expert in knowing how to meet these needs. As a result, pupils with SEND make very strong progress from their starting points. In addition, those with social and emotional difficulties make rapid gains in regulating their own behaviour.

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

High-quality development of pupils’ personal qualities is a distinctive feature of the school. Through a planned programme of personal and social education, and through the wider curriculum, pupils learn to respect others and to value diversity. Opportunities to act as class representatives and school councillors develop pupils’ commitment to the school and their understanding of social issues.

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

Pupils are inspired by their experiences at school and demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning. They are curious and enthusiastic learners. They listen carefully to adults and make excellent use of the feedback they receive about their work. Leaders carefully plan school trips and extracurricular activities to enhance the curriculum. These activities add greatly to pupils’ understanding and enjoyment of school.

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

Staff apply the school’s rules fairly and consistently. This ensures that pupils behave well in lessons. They show a deep respect for adults and for each other. 13 and 14 December 2022

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The headteacher has established a strong, professional community where adults value the research and training they receive. Staff say that leaders are considerate of their workload and are always ready to listen to their views. Subject leaders have planned the curriculum with great care.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that staff are well trained in safeguarding. Procedures for reporting concerns are understood by all. They provide helpful updates to staff and parents about the school’s work to keep pupils safe.

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Safeguarding

Leaders take the right actions to help children. When necessary, they take appropriate steps to involve other agencies. The school keeps accurate records of all safeguarding concerns. Leaders make the required checks on the staff who join the school.

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Safeguarding

Teachers make sure that pupils learn about potential risks they may face, including when using the internet. Pupils have the confidence to talk to adults if they are worried. This helps them to feel safe in school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, the sequencing and implementation of the curriculum in some subjects do not help pupils to build up their knowledge in the longer term. As a result, some pupils do not add to their existing knowledge as easily as they might do. Teachers should check that pupils who may struggle to do so are able to fit their new learning into their ongoing understanding of the subject.

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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 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.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Redhill Primary School, to be good in June 2013. 13 and 14 December 2022

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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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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. 13 and 14 December 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Redhill Primary Academy converted to become an academy school in September 2018. When its predecessor school, Redhill Primary School, was last inspected, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the Thomas Telford Multi Academy Trust.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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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 leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. Meetings were also held with curriculum leaders and the special educational needs coordinator.  The chair and another two members of the local governing board met with the lead inspector. The inspector also met with a representative of the multi-academy trust. 13 and 14 December 2022

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 The inspector spoke with pupils at social times and with groups of pupils more formally.  When inspecting safeguarding, the inspector looked at the school’s procedures for recruiting and checking on staff’s suitability to work with children. He also considered the effectiveness of staff training and the school’s procedures to keep pupils safe.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation, including leaders’ evaluations, improvement plans and minutes of local governing board meetings. He also reviewed the school’s attendance and behaviour records.  The inspector took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s questionnaire for parents, and correspondence from parents. The inspector met with parents at the start of the second day of the inspection. The inspector also considered responses to Ofsted’s survey for staff.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. For each

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deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to staff, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work. The inspector also spoke to pupils and reviewed their work in some other subjects.  The inspector listened to some pupils reading to a familiar adult.

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Inspection team

Martin Spoor, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 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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