The Reginald Mitchell Primary School

Inspection of a good school: The Reginald Mitchell Primary School Congleton Road, Butt Lane, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST7 1NA

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Outcome

The Reginald Mitchell Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at this happy and caring school. Leaders expect all pupils to learn and develop well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils live up to these high expectations with enthusiasm. They have positive attitudes and an optimistic outlook. They are friendly and polite. They grow markedly in confidence during their time at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They are usually kind to each other. Pupils feel safe in school. They talk to a member of staff if they have any worries. If unkind behaviour or bullying takes place, pupils tell staff, who then deal with it effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents have very positive views of the school. They appreciate the high level of care and support given to each pupil. A few parents have occasional concerns about the behaviour of a small number of older pupils. The school has been quick to respond to this. Nearly all parents would recommend the school to others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have lots of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. They enjoy helping each other by being, for example, ‘mini-medics’ and ‘super spitfires’, who keep an eye out for anyone who needs friendship or company.

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

Leaders and other staff ensure that all pupils follow an ambitious and well-organised curriculum, which covers the subjects of the national curriculum. Pupils are helped to learn and apply new subject knowledge in a sequential way so that they become confident learners, ready for the next stage in their education. This includes pupils with SEND.

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

Suitably trained staff teach their subjects with expertise, energy and enthusiasm. They have positive relationships with pupils in their classes. Informed assessment means staff 27 and 28 June 2023

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usually know when and if any pupils need more help or attention. Staff are increasingly clear about the specific knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn and remember at the end of a series of lessons. However, leaders recognise that this needs further attention in some foundation subjects.

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Pupils learn to read using a phonics scheme from the start of their time in school. This scheme is taught well by increasingly expert staff. Their care and attention help most pupils to keep up as they learn to read. Staff also ensure that those few who do fall behind are supported to catch up quickly. Leaders and staff encourage a genuine love of reading in pupils though regular reading activities, plenty of interesting books and an inviting school library. Mathematics is taught effectively by confident staff from early years onwards. Pupils learn this subject, and most other subjects, well.

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The youngest children get off to a flying start in the well-run and equipped Nursery and Reception classes. In the early years, staff work together to pay detailed attention to each child’s individual needs. They intervene quickly to help children with their learning when indoors or during outdoor play. Children are prepared well for a confident start when they join Year 1.

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Leaders and staff work together to quickly identify and support pupils with SEND. Ambition for all pupils and effective staff training result in pupils with SEND being given the help they need. Leaders show a strong commitment to ensuring that all pupils have equal opportunities to achieve. They make sure that pupils with SEND are fully included in the wider life of the school.

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The wider opportunities in this school for pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is a particular strength. Leaders have thought carefully about how to help pupils to broaden their experiences and develop their aspirations. Extra-curricular clubs encourage social and physical development. Assemblies, trips, visitors to school and special events, such as a careers and enterprise week, help pupils understand their place in the wider world and the opportunities this can give them. Pupils respond eagerly and enthusiastically to the numerous activities available to them. Many take on leadership roles in school, help others, join clubs and regularly take part in sporting activities and other competitions.

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School leaders engage routinely with other staff. Staff have very positive views about leadership in the school. They say that leaders take steps to lighten their workload and that leaders care about their welfare and well-being. Those teachers who are new to teaching are given additional time to plan lessons and benefit from effective support.

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The school is supported well by the multi-academy trust and its committed and experienced local advisory board.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 27 and 28 June 2023

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Pupils say they feel safe in school. Leaders make sure there is a well-organised and systematic approach to safeguarding. All staff have regular training in identifying and acting on concerns. Frequent communication between staff helps to identify pupils at risk of harm or neglect. Diligent record-keeping and information sharing helps to ensure that all pupils are protected. Leaders share concerns with external agencies when necessary.

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Staff remind pupils about this in lessons, through assemblies and on displays around the school. Pupils are taught about healthy relationships in suitable ways for their age.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, leaders have not fully specified the detailed knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn and remember during units of work. As a result, pupils are not always taught all the knowledge they need to master a topic. In these subjects, leaders should ensure there is greater clarity about the detailed knowledge and vocabulary that pupils are expected to learn and remember.

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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 to be good in November 2016 .

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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. 27 and 28 June 2023

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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. 27 and 28 June 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268432 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.reginaldmitchell.staffs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Reginald Mitchell Primary School converted to become an academy school in April 2019. When its predecessor school, Reginald Mitchell Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the Children First Learning Partnership multi-academy trust.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision for pupils.  The school operates childcare at a breakfast and after-school club for some of its pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the lead inspector met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke 27 and 28 June 2023

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to pupils about their learning, looked at samples of work and met with relevant staff. The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  The lead inspector spoke to a large number of pupils about their wider experience of school.  The lead inspector reviewed key documents, including safeguarding information and published information about the school’s performance.  The lead inspector met with the executive headteacher, head of school, safeguarding leads, subject leaders, special educational needs coordinator and other senior staff. The lead inspector met with governors and trustees, including the chair of the governing body and the chair of the multi-academy trust.  The lead inspector met with a group of staff to discuss their workload.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and the staff and pupil questionnaires. The lead inspector spoke with parents and carers at the end of

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Inspection team

Mike Cladingbowl, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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