Radford Primary School Academy

Inspection of a good school: Radford Primary School Academy Denman Street West, Radford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG7 3FL

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 January 2023

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Outcome

Radford Primary School Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Radford Academy is a special place where everyone gets a smile and a warm welcome. Pupils value each other. They embrace the principal of ‘show respect for everyone and everything’. They are curious. They love learning about and celebrating each other’s cultures.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that staff care about them. They feel safe in school. They know that the adults will help them when they are worried. Staff expect them to behave well, and they do. Pupils do not worry about bullying. It is rare and the adults always help them to sort it out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is ambitious for every child. Older pupils said they know their teachers prepare them well for the next stage in education. Pupils know how important reading is. They love their new library and their teachers’ ‘story voices’. Pupils who speak English as an additional language get the high-quality support they need.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Radford Academy pupils are active citizens of their community. They lead change in their school and their city. Through their projects and campaigns, they learn about how to ‘give back’ and have a positive impact on people and society. They gain confidence that they have much to offer. They learn that they are important.

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

Leaders and staff are highly ambitious for all pupils. They take their responsibility to the pupils and the community very seriously. This is seen in their careful work to develop a knowledge-rich curriculum that promotes character development and raises aspiration. Leaders have skilfully brought together the curriculum for pupils’ academic learning and personal development. Leaders adapt the curriculum appropriately for the small number of pupils with complex learning needs to ensure that every pupil benefits. 17 and 18 January 2023 Subject leaders have set ambitious learning goals. They take account of pupils’ starting points and learning needs. They ensure that pupils can build knowledge step by step. Teachers make effective checks on pupils’ learning. They take prompt action to address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Teachers make sure that pupils revisit previous learning. For example, in mathematics, leaders ensure that pupils have lots of opportunities to

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

practise what they have learned before. This means pupils apply their mathematical knowledge with increasing accuracy, fluency and confidence. Teachers present information clearly. However, sometimes in history, they set tasks that are not sharply focused on securing the important subject knowledge and concepts that pupils should learn. Leaders ensure that staff use carefully planned strategies to develop pupils’ vocabulary and language. All pupils benefit from this, including pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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

Leaders are determined that all pupils learn to read well. Pupils learn phonics from the start of Reception. Staff receive regular, high-quality training to teach the phonics programme. They take a consistent approach to teaching phonics. They make effective use of assessment to ensure that pupils practise reading from books that are matched to the sounds pupils know. Staff provide swift support for pupils who need help to keep pace with the phonics programme. Leaders have selected challenging and varied texts to enhance the curriculum.

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

Children in the early years have warm relationships with staff who know them well. The curriculum is well matched to pupils’ needs. Staff provide skilled support for pupils to develop their language and communication skills. Children are well prepared for the next stage of learning.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from high-quality provision. Leaders set clear targets for pupils’ progress. They give good advice to teachers about how best to support individual pupils. They work well with other agencies to make sure that pupils’ needs are met.

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

Pupils behave well. Staff teach pupils how to listen respectfully. Pupils like that other pupils ‘use their manners’. When pupils do not meet expectations, staff support them to reflect and improve their behaviour.

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

Personal development is a strength of this school. Pupils get a rich set of relevant experiences in the curriculum to enrich pupils’ learning and broaden their horizons. Importantly, they can say clearly how these experiences deepen their learning and enhance their personal development. For example, pupils described what they learned about history and empathy during their visit to the National Holocaust Centre and Museum. Pupils learn to play a musical instrument. They learn how to stay physically and mentally healthy. They learn about equality, diversity, rights and responsibilities. Trust leaders and governors have in-depth knowledge of the school. They support the school well. Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration of their well-being and workload. They are proud to work here. They said it is like a family. 17 and 18 January 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have expert safeguarding knowledge. They ensure that staff receive high-quality training. Leaders and staff engage proactively with pupils, families and external agencies. They ensure that pupils get help and support early. They work effectively to prevent concerns getting worse.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn to keep themselves and others safe through a strong safeguarding curriculum. They learn about road safety, online safety and healthy relationships. Leaders are knowledgeable about the risks in the local community. They ensure that pupils have the knowledge they need to face them.

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Safeguarding

School safeguarding leaders value the high-quality support they receive from the trust and governors.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not always set written tasks that are focused on the important subject knowledge in the foundation subjects. As a result, pupils’ written work does not always develop their subject knowledge as well as it could. Leaders should ensure that tasks allow practice of the important knowledge or concepts that pupils need to know so that pupils’ core knowledge is secure and they can develop their understanding.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2017. 17 and 18 January 2023

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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. 17 and 18 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10254911 Type of school Primary

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 October 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use the services 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 her evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, senior leaders and a range of staff.  The inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body. The lead inspector spoke with representatives from the L.E.A.D. multi- academy trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, teachers and pupils. She visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s arrangements for safeguarding, 17 and 18 January 2023

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Information about this inspection

the inspector reviewed school policies, procedures and records. She met with the designated safeguarding lead. The inspector also spoke with staff, governors and pupils about the school’s approach to keeping pupils safe.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s parent, pupil and staff questionnaires. She spoke with parents at the school.

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Inspection team

Aoife Galletly, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 17 and 18 January 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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