Richardson Endowed Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Richardson Endowed Primary School Main Road, Smalley, Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 6EF

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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. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the care and support they get from staff. They feel safe and happy. They know adults will help them if they feel worried. One parent’s comment, typical of many, was: ‘My daughter feels very safe and secure here.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They listen carefully when others are talking. They enjoy sharing ideas in lessons. Pupils are keen to know more. They enjoy earning raffle tickets or points for working hard and making good choices.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils agree that bullying does not happen at the school. They understand what bullying is and would report it to staff if it happened. They are confident that staff would deal with it quickly and make it stop.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the many clubs on offer at school, for example yoga, well-being and the performance club. The clubs are well attended and enjoyed by all.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a broad range of learning opportunities. They know the learning ‘themes’, which provide them with a rich and relevant curriculum. However, the curriculum is not planned and implemented consistently well in every subject.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic and keen to learn. They develop their vocabulary, which helps them explain their ideas. Pupils benefit from reading a variety of books. They enjoy story time.

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

Leaders have made significant improvements to the writing curriculum. They have identified the important knowledge they want pupils to know. They have ensured that 13 and 14 June 2023

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teachers know how to order the knowledge to help pupils learn. Leaders check that pupils can write effectively. As a result, pupils achieve well in writing.

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Leaders are thinking carefully about the broader curriculum. Teachers choose topics and books to help pupils learn about different ‘themes’, such as identity and diversity, peace and conflict, and saving our environment. However, this work is very recent. Many subject leaders have not yet identified the important knowledge they want pupils to learn. The knowledge that pupils learn in these subjects is not well connected. It does not build on what pupils already know. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they might in these subjects.

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Teachers follow a well-sequenced phonics programme. Staff identify the sounds and words that pupils need to learn in each lesson. Leaders ensure that reading books match the sounds that pupils are learning. Pupils regularly practise their reading at home and in school. However, leaders have not checked that all staff teach phonics well. As a result, some pupils who have fallen behind do not catch up quickly.

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Teaching is not always as effective as it needs to be. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise using their new knowledge. Teachers do not use information about what pupils know well enough to focus their teaching. They do not always adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, pupils, including pupils with SEND, often cannot recall important knowledge and do not learn as much as they should.

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The curriculum in the early years is well sequenced. Staff in the early years provision know exactly what children need to learn. They quickly identify children who have fallen behind and give them extra help. Staff link learning skilfully into children’s play. For example, when acting out a story, staff encouraged children to use important language, as well as practise their counting. The provision has a large number of exciting areas where children can learn. Children are purposeful and happy in their play.

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The curriculum supports pupils’ broader development. This is a strength of the school. Leaders provide many clubs to nurture individual talents. Pupils have an exceptionally good understanding of important British values. For example, they can explain why tolerance and democracy matter. Pupils learn how to look after their mental health. As one pupil explained, ‘Mental health issues are normal.’ Pupils develop important leadership skills as ‘buddies’ and ‘class ambassadors’. Pupil buddies enjoy caring for their younger peers at lunch and share reading books with them.

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Teachers are proud to work at the school. They say that leaders are approachable and supportive. They appreciate leaders’ efforts to consider their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff receive regular safeguarding training. Staff know that they must report any concerns immediately. This helps leaders to identify pupils who need support 13 and 14 June 2023

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without delay. There are robust procedures in place to ensure that all adults are suitable to work in school.

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Pupils know how to stay safe online. They enjoy visits by the police and ambulance services. They learn how to stay safe in the community.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not identified the key knowledge that pupils need to learn in several subjects. As a result, the curriculum in these subjects does not always build on what pupils already know. Leaders need to identify the key knowledge that pupils should learn across all subjects. They must ensure that the curriculum builds appropriately on pupils’ previous learning.  Teachers do not always take the needs of pupils with SEND into consideration when planning the curriculum. These pupils do not always get the support they need to help them learn. Leaders need to make sure that teachers plan a curriculum that is suitably ambitious for these pupils and that teachers implement it effectively.  There is variation in how well staff deliver the curriculum. Some staff do not use appropriate methods to teach pupils new knowledge. When this is the case, pupils struggle to remember what they have learned. Leaders need to make sure that all staff

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

have the knowledge and skills they need to deliver the curriculum in each subject effectively.

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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 predecessor school, Richardson Endowed Primary School, to be good in January 2017.

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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. 13 and 14 June 2023

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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. 13 and 14 June 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Richardson Endowed Primary School converted to become an academy school in June 2019. When the predecessor school, also called Richardson Endowed Primary School, was last inspected, it was judged to be good overall.  The school does not use the services of any 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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders, the leaders of the early years and the leader responsible for the provision for pupils with SEND. He also spoke with members of the governing body and representatives from Embark Multi-Academy Trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: 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 13 and 14 June 2023

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their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector heard pupils read. The inspector also reviewed curriculum documentation in other subjects.  The inspector reviewed the responses received on Ofsted Parent View and considered the results of Ofsted’s questionnaire for staff and pupils.  To judge the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector read the school’s relevant policies, scrutinised the single central record, checked the school’s procedures for the safe recruitment of staff and met with the safeguarding team. The inspector also spoke with staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Andy Lakatos, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 June 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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