Riverside Academy

Inspection of a good school: Riverside Academy Newbold Road, Newbold-on-Avon, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 1EH

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Outcome

Riverside Academy continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils at Riverside Academy. Pupils are happy and safe. They live the school’s values of ‘friendship, excellence, resilience’. Leaders work extremely hard to make sure that pupils attend school regularly. Pupils say that school is interesting and fun. They are treated fairly, and no one ever feels left out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite, friendly and well behaved. This is because leaders set high expectations for behaviour. Pupils meet these expectations. Rare incidents of poor behaviour and bullying are dealt with swiftly and effectively by leaders. Pupils are confident that leaders will resolve any concerns that they raise. Classrooms are industrious places where pupils work hard and learn well. Play leaders, well-being leaders and corridor monitors help pupils to have fun and keep safe at social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A range of trips and visits supports pupils to broaden their interests and deepen their knowledge of the curriculum. These include opportunities to travel to London to visit the theatre, a palace and a museum. Locally, pupils have visited a farm, a zoo and a castle. Older pupils enjoy a residential experience. The ‘11 before 11 promise’ is a distinct commitment to giving all pupils a worthwhile range of enriching experiences at school.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. It is carefully sequenced and structured. Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum well. They present information clearly, using appropriate vocabulary. Pupils say that teachers make learning fun by introducing new learning in exciting and different ways. Teachers use assessment effectively to check how well pupils are learning. They skilfully recap on previous learning and check on pupils’ understanding during lessons and over 18 and 19 April 2023

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time. They use this information to support pupils to clarify misconceptions and make improvements to their work. This helps pupils to achieve very well in school.

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Communication, reading, writing and mathematics are prioritised and taught very well. This is because adults are highly skilled and carefully plan the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils, including the youngest children. The learning environment is calm and purposeful. There are many opportunities for children to practise and apply their learning. For example, fine motor skills activities help children in the Reception class to develop a strong pencil grip so that they write words and simple sentences with growing competence and confidence. Leaders make sure that all pupils are taught to read well. Staff are knowledgeable about teaching phonics. Books match the sounds that pupils are learning. This helps pupils to practise and apply new sounds when reading. Pupils read regularly in school and at home. Older pupils support younger ones who need extra help to read in school. Pupils enjoy using the school library, which is well stocked with a wide

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range of books, including books by favourite authors. Pupils who fall behind in their reading are well supported to catch up with their peers, which they do. Pupils learn to read, write and communicate with confidence, accuracy and fluency.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve very well in school. This is because leaders make sure that their needs are identified and met in a timely manner. Leaders work effectively with a range of agencies to ensure that pupils with SEND have the support they need to access the curriculum alongside their peers in school. Most parents and carers are extremely positive about the help and support their children receive to be successful in school.

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The school’s wider curriculum offer is exceptional. Pupils carry out 11 good deeds by the age of 11 through the school’s ‘11 before 11 promise’. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. This helps them to understand and respect differences. For example, pupils learn about Sikhism, Buddhism and Christianity and the celebrations of Eid, Diwali, Easter and Holi. Opportunities such as being school council representatives allow pupils to take on responsibilities in school. This helps them to develop independence and confidence while also learning about democracy. The school’s ethos and rules support pupils’ moral development. All of this helps pupils to be the best they can be.

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Leaders want the best for every pupil. They rigorously check on how well the school is performing and identify informed priorities for improvement. Subject leaders are highly effective in ensuring that all pupils learn the curriculum. Staff are very positive about the support from leaders to manage their workload and well-being. There is a strong sense of teamwork and support. Staff feel listened to and involved in decisions about improvements in school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders prioritise pupils’ welfare. They make sure that staff are trained to identify any concerns and to act on these promptly. Leaders are tenacious in their response to any 18 and 19 April 2023

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worries that staff raise. They work closely with external agencies to make sure that pupils get the help and support that they need.

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Staff teach pupils how to keep safe in school and when out and about. Pupils learn how to keep safe when online and can raise concerns following the school’s ‘zip it, block it, flag it’ approach.

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Leaders make sure that there are robust safeguarding processes in place for recruitment. They undertake the appropriate vetting checks on new staff.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2014.

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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. 18 and 19 April 2023

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Date of previous inspection

22 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.  The school operates a breakfast club.

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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 the evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject 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 observed pupils reading to a familiar adult. The inspector reviewed reading resources.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation on the school’s website. 18 and 19 April 2023

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 The inspector scrutinised the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This included examining the record of employment checks on school staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at other times during the day.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, the designated safeguarding lead, curriculum leaders, representatives of the trust board and a trust representative.  The inspector took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View and to staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Lorraine Lord, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 April 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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