Redfield Educate Together Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Redfield Educate Together Primary Academy Avonvale Road, Redfield, Bristol BS5 9RH

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are developing an understanding of the school’s values of compassion, courage, community and curiosity. The values are woven through the curriculum. For example, parents join pupils for end-of-unit ‘land events’, such as building aerodynamic rockets.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils study a broad range of subjects. However, many pupils have gaps in their knowledge. This is because leaders have not set out the most important knowledge pupils need to learn. Leaders know this and are taking action to bring about improvements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Since leaders introduced the ‘Redfield Way’, pupils recognise that behaviour has improved. Most pupils behave well in class and around school. Most pupils say that they feel safe in school. However, when staff do not follow the behaviour systems, some pupils feel concerned about other pupils’ behaviour. Pupils say that bullying happens sometimes, but staff resolve it quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents speak positively about the school’s ethos. They enjoy positive relationships with teachers. Leaders ask pupils their views and use this information to develop pupils’ interests and talents. Pupils look forward to leadership responsibilities, such as being a ‘change maker’. This helps them to become responsible citizens.

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

There have been recent changes to the school’s leadership. Leaders have high expectations for pupils and staff. School leaders, alongside trust leaders, have identified key areas for improvement.

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

Leaders prioritise improving pupils’ behaviour. Their new approach has already had a positive impact. However, there are inconsistencies in how well some staff apply the 22 and 23 March 2023

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school’s behaviour policy. A small number of pupils struggle to live up to leaders’ expectations of their behaviour. Low-level disruption occasionally disturbs learning when pupils’ needs are not met well enough. Consequently, the number of suspensions has increased.

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Due to weaknesses in the previous curriculum, pupils struggle to recall their prior learning. Leaders use external specialists to support them to make changes to the curriculum. However, it is too early to see the impact of these changes. Currently, the precise knowledge that pupils need to learn from early years to Year 6 is not clear enough. Some teachers do not know exactly what to teach and when. Therefore, pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. For example, in mathematics, some pupils do not know their multiplication tables. This makes it difficult for them to solve mathematical problems. In some subjects, teachers’ checks on pupils’ learning are not matched to what has been taught. Consequently, leaders do not have an accurate picture of what pupils know and remember.

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Leaders identified that pupils’ learning in phonics and reading was not good enough. Phonics is now a priority. Children learn to read as soon as they start school in Reception. Teachers set out carefully the order that pupils will learn the sounds that letters represent. There is now a consistent approach to the teaching of early reading. However, some teachers do not check what pupils know and remember carefully enough. Pupils do not move on to new learning as soon as they could. As a result, too many pupils cannot read at an age-appropriate level.

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Leaders aim to provide a high-quality education for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers ensure that pupils with SEND are supported to access the same curriculum as their peers. Some pupils learn important concepts and vocabulary before others, so they can keep up with the curriculum.

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Pupils are keen to learn. They take pride in their work, which is well presented. Pupils’ wider development is high priority. Through the ‘Learn Together’ curriculum, pupils value diversity and respect themselves and others. Pupils are physically active because of the many opportunities that leaders provide throughout and beyond the school day.

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Governors and trustees have an accurate understanding of the school. As leaders make changes to improve the school, staff appreciate how well leaders manage their workload. However, a few members of staff feel their well-being is not given enough consideration when managing pupils’ behaviour.

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Most parents agree that their children are happy and achieve well in school. However, there are mixed views about the support for pupils with SEND.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders understand the risks to pupils in the locality. Leaders regularly inform staff and parents how to keep children safe. Staff are aware of their responsibilities to be alert to 22 and 23 March 2023

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any potential concerns. They follow the systems for reporting concerns. Leaders work with external agencies to provide support for pupils at risk of harm. Some areas of the school’s safeguarding work could be more precise, including leaders’ record-keeping. This does not affect the school’s effective safeguarding culture.

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Pupils know who to talk to if they have concerns. The curriculum supports pupils’ understanding of keeping safe, including online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not identified the precise knowledge they want pupils to learn from early years to Year 6. This means that pupils have not secured the intended knowledge across the curriculum, which hinders future learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers know what pupils need to learn, and when, so pupils can build their knowledge securely over time.  Historic weaknesses in the curriculum have resulted in pupils being unable to recall prior learning. This means pupils have gaps in their knowledge in many subjects, including reading, and need to catch up rapidly. Leaders should ensure that assessment is developed and used more effectively to check on the impact of the curriculum. Teachers need to check pupils’ understanding to identify gaps in their knowledge and close these quickly.  The new behaviour management system is not yet fully embedded and adhered to by all staff. This means that some pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour are not

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

supported effectively enough. Leaders should ensure that all staff understand and apply the systems for managing behaviour in school.  Sometimes the information that leaders record about safeguarding lacks sufficient detail. This could result in leaders missing vital information. Leaders must make sure records comprehensively demonstrate the actions taken in response to safeguarding concerns.

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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 June 2017. 22 and 23 March 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. 22 and 23 March 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 to 14 June 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Redfield Educate Together Primary Academy is part of the Educate Together Academy Trust.  The headteacher has been in post since April 2022.  There is a before- and after-school club on site.  Leaders use two unregistered alternative providers.

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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.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders, the chief executive officer, the senior education adviser, groups of staff, representatives from the local governing body and members of the trust board.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject 22 and 23 March 2023

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leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation and scrutinised the single central record. She met with the designated safeguarding lead to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding measures. The inspector spoke to pupils, staff, governors, parents and trustees about safeguarding.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. She spoke to pupils to find out their views about the school.  The inspector spoke to parents at the start of the school day. She also considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and took into consideration the responses to the surveys of staff and pupils. During the inspection, the inspector received and considered an email from a parent.

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Inspection team

Faye Heming, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 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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