Rodborough Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Rodborough Community Primary School Rodborough Hill, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 3RT

p.1

Inspection dates: 15 and 16 February 2023

p.1

Outcome

Rodborough Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to Rodborough. They say that the pupils are kind, friendly and welcoming. Pupils learn how to socialise very well. For example, Year 6 pupils are ‘buddies’ to the children in Reception and help them settle into school. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is very positive. Pupils state that bullying is not an issue at the school, and if they have any concerns, teachers resolve them.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn the routines of school very well. Children in Reception learn to take turns while pupils in all year groups listen respectfully to the ideas of others. Pupils learn about the importance of citizenship. For instance, pupils vote for a Prime Minister and deputy Prime Minister for the pupil parliament. Pupils take their roles in the pupil parliament extremely seriously. They have worked with the local community to select play equipment for the park.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to enrich their learning about the world through clubs, trips and visitors to the school. Leaders have planned the trips carefully to enrich pupils’ learning of the curriculum. Pupils learn about the industrial history of Stroud through visits to the canal. They also learn about Roman history through visits to local sites of interest.

p.1

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

Leaders’ vision for pupils’ academic, social and emotional success is shared by all staff. They have created an ambitious curriculum in many subject areas. Pupils review what they have learned previously to help them understand more complex concepts. For example, pupils review their knowledge of maps in Year 2 to locate rivers and mountain ranges in China. In English, pupils use their knowledge of the stylistic features of writing to edit their own work. However, leaders acknowledge that some subjects need to be planned more carefully so that pupils learn better. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the support they need to learn the curriculum successfully. 15 and 16 February 2023 Teachers have good subject knowledge. They ensure that pupils learn subject-specific vocabulary. As a result, pupils use appropriate terminology. For instance, pupils reflected knowledgeably on the differences between dome and plateau mountains. Pupils are proud

p.1

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

of their work. They are motivated to learn well.

p.2

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

Leaders have prioritised reading in all subjects. Children in Reception and pupils in key stage 1 learn to read well. They make strong links between letters and the phonics sounds they hear. Staff regularly check how well pupils read, and they provide additional support when required. Children in Reception and pupils in key stage 1 are highly motivated to learn to read and enjoy reading a range of books. From Reception to Year 6, pupils love listening to the daily reading of a novel or short stories by their class teacher. Pupils enjoy the carefully selected texts they study in English, which helps them to understand how writers use language to convey ideas and characters. For example, pupils in Year 6 particularly enjoyed ‘The Viewer’ by Gary Crew.

p.2

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

Children in Reception flourish. Through the well-planned curriculum, children develop their own imaginative interpretations of the world. Children extend their vocabulary through the curriculum, which helps children to learn to read well. Children listen to a range of stories that help them to enrich their knowledge of language. Children also develop their manual dexterity through cutting, sticking and drawing. Through a well-planned mathematics curriculum, children learn about number well.

p.2

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

Pupils develop awareness of their mental health through the curriculum. This is a high priority for leaders. The personal, social and health education programme has been carefully planned so that pupils learn about healthy relationships. Pupils learn how to respect each other and to show empathy for the feelings of others. Pupils learn to meditate so that they can manage their own emotional well-being.

p.2

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

Governors have an accurate understanding of the school. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about working in the school. They state that leaders support their well-being and help to manage their workload.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

Leaders are vigilant about the physical and emotional safety of pupils. They work well with external agencies to ensure that pupils at risk of harm receive appropriate and timely support. All staff, including governors, have received up-to-date safeguarding training and are alert to the risks that some pupils might face. Pupils learn how to keep safe when online through lessons about internet safety. Leaders make thorough checks on all adults who work at the school.

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

15 and 16 February 2023  In some subjects, the curriculum does not support pupils well enough to build on what they have learned before. This means that pupils do not have sufficiently well- embedded knowledge before moving on to more complex concepts. Leaders must ensure that all subjects are consistently well planned to enable pupils to learn successfully.

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 February 2012.

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.

p.3

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. 15 and 16 February 2023

p.3

School details

Inspection number 10226923 Type of school Primary

p.4

form

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

form

Date of previous inspection 2 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 The school uses one registered alternative provider.  The school is a smaller-than-average primary school.

p.4

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.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher and members of the leadership team, including curriculum leaders.  The inspector held a discussion with governors, including the chair of governors.  The inspector held a discussion with an education officer from the local authority. 15 and 16 February 2023  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, English and geography. This meant that, in each subject, inspectors met with senior and curriculum leaders, talked to pupils, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at pupils’ books.  The inspector met with staff to consider their views.  The inspector reviewed safeguarding records, including the single central record of

p.4

Information about this inspection

recruitment checks on staff.  The inspector considered the views of parents who responded to the confidential questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. She evaluated the views of staff and pupils from the Ofsted online questionnaire.

p.5

Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 15 and 16 February 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.

p.5

Inspection team

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.6

Inspection team

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.6

Inspection team

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

p.6

Inspection team

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

p.6