Radipole Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Radipole Primary School Radipole Lane, Weymouth, Dorset DT3 5HS

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Outcome

Radipole Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this welcoming and friendly community school. Pupils get on well together. They have adults in the school to whom they can talk about any worries that they may have. This helps pupils to feel safe. Pupils say that there is no bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ learning and behaviour. Most pupils rise to these expectations. The school motto of ‘together we learn, together we grow and together we soar’ is embraced by the pupils. In lessons, pupils’ work hard and try their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the activities that leaders provide to support their wider development. Pupils take part in football, cricket, tennis, dance and creative activities after school. Leaders have considered how the curriculum reflects the local community. They organise educational visits and visiting speakers that bring the curriculum to life. The recent ‘love where you live’ week allows pupils to broaden their knowledge of the local area.

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

The school has recently experienced a period of instability in leadership. Governors, with support from the local authority, have maintained a focus on ensuring that the quality of education is improving.

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

Leaders have designed a rich and ambitious curriculum from the early years to the end of Year 6. They have identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn in most subjects. Teachers have the knowledge and expertise to teach the curriculum well. They present information clearly and check what pupils know before moving on to new learning. They use assessment information well to inform future teaching. However, in a small number of subjects, pupils do not develop a deep understanding over time. Leaders know that some refinement is required to help pupils make better connections and make greater use of the knowledge they have gained. 3 and 4 July 2023

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In Reception, pupils learn well and get off to a strong start. For example, in mathematics, staff use resources well to illustrate different mathematical ideas clearly. This provides a strong basis for complex learning as they move into year 1 and beyond.

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Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read follow a well-implemented phonics programme. Pupils read books that are matched to the sounds they know. Leaders track progress carefully so pupils can receive extra support if they need it. Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme. The outcomes for pupils in phonics are high. Pupils relish choosing books from the well- stocked library, which is at the centre of the school. To raise the profile of reading in the school, the ‘reading worm’ is given out as a trophy in assembly each week.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified early. Leaders ensure that teachers use a range of strategies to help these pupils to learn the same curriculum as their peers. Most parents are happy with the school and the work staff do to support their children. A small minority of parents would like senior leaders to respond more proactively to the concerns that they raise.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has been considered by leaders when designing the school’s curriculum. Pupils learn about other cultures and leaders have considered equality and diversity throughout the books that pupils read in class. However, pupils are not yet secure in their understanding of fundamental British values.

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Leaders have ensured that there are opportunities outside the academic curriculum to enhance pupils’ wider development. Pupils are proud of the on-site nature reserve, where they take part in forest school. This helps them to develop confidence, self-esteem and resilience. Several pupils carry out responsibilities as members of the school or eco council. Pupils work together to organise events in school or raise money for local charities.

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Governors work closely with leaders to support them to drive their priorities forward. They challenge leaders effectively when needed. The well-being and professional development of staff are priorities for leaders. Staff are very positive about working at the school. They feel supported by leaders, who take staff workload into consideration when making decisions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know pupils and families well. Leaders have ensured that all staff complete regular safeguarding training. Staff know the signs to look for that may indicate that pupils need help. Staff report concerns and leaders respond to these swiftly. Leaders work effectively with wider agencies in order to ensure pupils get the support they need to stay safe. 3 and 4 July 2023

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online. Pupils know how to protect themselves. Pupils feel safe and well cared for. They are confident staff will look after them if they have concerns.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The changes leaders have made in the curriculum have not yet embedded securely. As a result, pupils do not develop a deep understanding in some subjects. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum is embedded securely and consistently across the school so that pupils remember more over time.

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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 January 2013.

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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. 3 and 4 July 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, the school has had two headteachers. The current headteacher was appointed to the substantive role in April 2023.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provider.  School leaders run a breakfast and after-school 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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in 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. 3 and 4 July 2023

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 The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, subject leaders, staff, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority and an alternative provider.  The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation, including safeguarding checks carried out on staff working at the school.  The inspector considered responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text comments, and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Gavin Summerfield, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 July 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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