Red Hill CofE Primary School

Inspection of Red Hill CofE Primary School Midhurst Close, Worcester, Worcestershire WR5 2HX

p.1

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 13 and 14 March 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Red Hill Church of England Primary School speak passionately about their school values. They believe that ‘God created you to be amazing’. The new leadership team is helping pupils to achieve this aim. One pupil commented, ‘They are helping us get better at being ourselves.’ Pupils are happy at school and feel safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils to thrive in every aspect of school life. The majority of parents agree. One parent was typical of many stating, ‘Communication and parent involvement has increased recently and there is a feeling of everyone working together.’

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well during lessons, when moving around the school and at playtimes. They are polite, well mannered and look after each other. Older pupils support younger ones at playtimes. This arrangement promotes the caring ethos of the school. On the very rare occasion that bullying happens, pupils know that adults will deal with it quickly.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy responsibilities that promote their independence and prepare them for the future. For example, there are pupil leaders, reading ambassadors and a head boy and head girl. Pupils also enjoy attending a range of clubs, including football, art, construction and mindfulness.

p.2

better?

Leaders have invested considerably to develop the curriculum. Senior leaders have empowered other leaders and staff. Staff have received a variety of training, both from leaders and the local authority. Many subjects are now well developed, and staff are confident to teach them. Pupils achieve well in these subjects. However, in a few subjects, such as history, the curriculum is still very new. Pupils’ subject knowledge is not as secure in these subjects, and leaders have not fully evaluated how to make improvements. That said, staff have clear plans to develop these subjects further to ensure that they meet the needs of all pupils.

p.2

better?

Leaders and governors have high aspirations for everyone. They have created a purposeful environment where pupils are keen to learn, based on the motto ‘excellence and enjoyment, everyone and everything’. Teachers make effective use of assessment opportunities in lessons to address any misconceptions that pupils may have and to plan further learning. Pupils are well rewarded for their successes, including being given time with Bailey, the school dog.

p.2

better?

Leaders have ensured that the teaching of phonics is prioritised. Phonics teaching begins as soon as children start in Reception. Teachers follow a well-planned sequence of lessons which allow pupils to learn new sounds quickly and securely. Pupils get many opportunities to practise the sounds they have learned throughout 13 and 14 March 2023

p.2

3

the school day. This ensures that any pupil who needs to catch up, does. Reading is at the forefront of the curriculum. Pupils love to talk about their favourite books and authors, as well as how reading helps them to learn in other subjects. Pupils develop into confident and fluent readers.

p.3

3

Children get off to a good start to school life in the early years. Staff quickly form positive and productive relationships with them. Staff know the children well and understand their individual needs. This is because they make very good use of information from parents and other pre-school settings. The learning environment is designed to immerse children in language. Learning activities help children to practise and remember what they have learned over time.

p.3

3

Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is bespoke. For example, those who struggle to pay attention have access to resources which help them to concentrate on their work. In lessons, teachers make adaptations, such as extra adult support or providing materials so pupils with SEND can work alongside their peers. However, some leaders are new to their role and parents have not been kept well informed about the support their child receives or the progress they make.

p.3

3

Many aspects of pupils’ wider development are well established. Leaders ensure that lessons in various subjects promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. These lessons help pupils to understand how to care for themselves and how to maintain healthy relationships with others. They learn about different faiths and understand why they need to show respect to others.

p.3

3

Governors have worked hard with leaders and the local authority to further develop their roles. They have a better understanding of how to support and challenge leaders, but some of their work is at an early stage of development.

p.3

3

Staff say that leaders are considerate of their workload. They are positive about recent changes, with one teacher commenting, ‘Leaders are fantastic. They give us time to do things. I am much happier at work.’

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is a strong, effective culture of safeguarding within the school. Staff know pupils very well and are quick to pick up on any concerns. Staff receive regular and appropriate training. This ensures that they identify any problems that pupils may face, including local issues such as child criminal exploitation. Strong communication ensures that staff share any concerns swiftly.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe in school. They know that adults will help to resolve any issues or worries. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in the locality and online as a result of curriculum activities and assemblies. 13 and 14 March 2023

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not evaluated the impact of the curriculum. They do not know how well pupils are learning these curriculums. Leaders should work with the subject leaders to monitor what pupils know and remember in these subjects.  Support for pupils with SEND is effective in lessons. However, parents have not been kept fully informed of how their child is supported in lessons or the progress they make. As a result, parents are unsure about how the needs of their children are being met in school and how they can support them at home. Leaders should ensure that parents of pupils with SEND are kept informed of the support pupils receive and the progress they make.  There have been significant changes recently to how governors carry out their role in school. As these are still at the early stages, the governing body does not currently have a complete understanding of the effectiveness of the school.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Governors should continue to develop their role so that they hold leaders fully to account for the school’s effectiveness.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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 March 2023

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10256918 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 5 December 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Leaders make use of one unregistered alternative provider.  Leaders operate a breakfast club and an after-school club.  The school is within the Diocese of Worcester. Its most recent section 48 inspection took place in July 2016. The next inspection will take place within the prescribed period.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the lead inspector held meetings with the headteacher. He also met five members of the governing body, including the chairs of governors. 13 and 14 March 2023

p.5

6

 The lead inspector held a meeting with a representative of the local authority. He also held telephone conversation with a representative of the diocese.  The inspectors viewed a range of safeguarding documentation. They examined checks on safer recruitment and spoke with members of staff to check their safeguarding knowledge.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history, modern foreign languages and physical education. They met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and viewed examples of pupils’ work.  An inspector observed children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 read to a trusted adult.  The inspectors spoke with members of staff about their workload and well-being.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  The inspectors considered the responses, including the free-text comments, to

p.6

6

Ofsted Parent View. They also considered the responses to the staff and pupil surveys. Inspectors also spoke to parents and carers at the beginning of the school day.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation provided by the school. This included the school’s self-evaluation, school improvement priorities, school policies, curriculum documents, SEND records, behaviour records, attendance records, and minutes of meetings held by the governing body.

p.6

Inspection team

Barry Yeardsley, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Antony Bradshaw Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 March 2023

p.6

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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

p.7

7

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

p.7