Rockwell Green Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Rockwell Green Church of England Primary School Brooklands Road, Rockwell Green, Wellington, Somerset TA21 9DJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 21 and 22 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff at Rockwell Green make sure that pupils experience the school’s motto: ‘Sharing life in all its fullness’. Pupils enjoy learning the school’s curriculum. The curriculum is broad and ambitious. Leaders enrich it with extra events. These include artist visits, theatre company performances and a competitive speaking competition.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to take on responsibilities in school, for example as reading champions. Pupils learn about democracy. The elected ‘pupil taskforce’ helped to choose the school's values. Pupils say that they see these values in action each day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take an active role in the wider community. They learn about respect and service through links with the Royal British Legion. Pupils work with a dementia project, spending time with residents at a local centre. They learn to care for the environment through their forest school sessions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are clear about the high expectations that staff have of them. Pupils treat one another kindly. They work hard in lessons. Staff make sure that pupils are safe in school. There are effective processes for dealing with any incidents. Bullying happens very rarely. It is not tolerated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents appreciate the good communication that they receive about what pupils are learning. They describe staff as warm and approachable.

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better?

Leaders have rightly put reading at the heart of their curriculum. Their imaginative and effective actions promote a love of reading through the school. Leaders provide a wide range of books for pupils to read. They give time for staff to discuss books with one another. Leaders invite parents into school to read with pupils. From the pre-school onwards, staff read well-chosen books to pupils every day. As a result, pupils learn to love reading.

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better?

Leaders have put in place a rigorous approach to teaching phonics. This begins from the start of pupils’ time in school. Expert staff teach pupils in daily sessions. Leaders check often that pupils are learning well. They put in place effective support to ensure that pupils do not fall behind. The books that pupils read match the sounds they are learning. Older pupils are taught to widen their vocabulary. They discuss books thoughtfully and learn to read aloud expressively.

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better?

In many curriculum subjects, including mathematics, leaders have made clear decisions about what pupils should learn and in what order. This helps pupils to build their knowledge. Year 6 pupils, for example, can recall what they learned about coding in previous years. They understand how this helps them to develop their knowledge further. In some subjects, however, leaders have not made clear what 21 and 22 March 2023

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pupils will learn and how this should develop. In these subjects, pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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Leaders want to make further improvements to the curriculum. They have put in place plans and systems to do this. In some subjects, leaders have a precise understanding of what pupils know and remember. They use this information to make further improvements to the curriculum. This is not yet in place for all subjects.

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Teachers skilfully help pupils to discuss their learning. They teach pupils ways to listen carefully to one another. Pupils learn how to explain their thoughts. Teachers regularly check to find any gaps or confusions. They change their teaching in response.

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Teachers make clear to pupils how they are to behave in lessons. From the pre- school onwards, teachers use well-practised routines and signals. These help pupils to concentrate. Pupils are calm and orderly as they move around school. When behaviour is not appropriate, leaders take effective action. They make sure that learning is not disrupted.

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Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities to support pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn how these relate to the school’s values. They are taught to understand and appreciate difference in the world. Pupils learn how to keep themselves and others safe.

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Leaders make sure that the curriculum is suitable for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have put in place strong systems to identify particular needs. Staff make adaptations to include pupils with SEND in all aspects of school life. Leaders work well with outside experts. This helps them to better understand and meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

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Governors know and promote the school’s vision. They challenge and support leaders. Governors check what is working well. Staff have confidence in leaders. They say that leaders support them. Leaders consult staff about any changes. They have built a team with strong, shared values. Everyone works together for the good of the pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that all staff are well trained to keep pupils safe. Staff report any concerns to leaders quickly. Leaders respond diligently. They keep detailed records of their actions. Leaders work well with other agencies. They have thorough procedures for the safe recruitment of staff.

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Safeguarding

Leaders build strong and respectful relationships with parents. This allows them to take effective actions to keep pupils safe. Leaders provide parents with useful 21 and 22 March 2023

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information, especially about safety online. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not made clear what pupils will learn and how this develops. In these subjects, pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders must identify precisely what they want pupils to know and remember in all curriculum subjects.  In some subjects, leaders do not have a precise understanding of what pupils know and remember. This means that their plans for improving these subjects are not as well focused as their plans for other subjects. Leaders must ensure that all subject leaders develop a precise understanding of the extent of pupils’ learning so that they can make well-grounded improvements to the curriculum.

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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.

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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. 21 and 22 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10241985 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 16 May 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary-controlled Church of England school. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in July 2018.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school has pre-school which offers places to two-year-old children.  There is a before- and after-school club managed by leaders.

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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 the school and have taken this into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, subject leaders, teachers, groups of pupils, and governors, and spoke with a representative from the local authority. 21 and 22 March 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: art and design, early reading and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met subject leaders and looked at samples of pupils’ work in other subject areas.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation, including safeguarding checks carried out on staff working at the school. They reviewed how well the designated safeguarding leads act on concerns about pupils’ welfare. Inspectors talked to pupils, staff and governors about how leaders keep everyone safe.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also considered the responses to the staff

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Inspection team

Jonathan Gower, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sean Millar Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 March 2023

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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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