Roade Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Roade Primary School Hartwell Road, Roade, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN7 2NT

p.1

Inspection dates: 31 January and 1 February 2024

p.1

Outcome

Roade Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Roade Primary is a welcoming and nurturing school. The school has high expectations of all pupils to achieve well and be prepared for their next stage. Pupils are happy and feel safe. One pupil shared, ‘I just feel like I belong here - I love it! The teachers are really nice, and they make every lesson fun.’ Pupils enjoy their lessons and talk about their learning and achievements with pride. They value the additional opportunities they are given to take on extra responsibility, such as being a house captain.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ethos is based around the three new rules: ‘be ready, be respectful, be responsible’. These rules are consistently known and lived out by the pupils. Pupils listen well in lessons and support each other with their learning. Pupils work productively alone, with a partner, and in small groups. Some pupils benefit from additional support to help them to manage their feelings and emotions. This support is effective.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

During play times and lunchtimes, pupils play cooperatively and respectfully with each other. They are polite and well mannered. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and caring. One pupil shared, ‘If we are ever feeling sad, our teachers will always support us.’

p.1

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

Children in the Reception Year get off to a strong start. The provision is well resourced. The curriculum creates a firm foundation for all future learning. The classroom and outdoor areas are organised to promote learning through play. Children have the opportunity to explore, use their imaginations and take risks. Children engage purposefully in independent learning for sustained periods of time. Children are well prepared for key stage 1.

p.1

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

The school prioritises reading. Staff are all trained to deliver the systematic phonics programme. Staff use consistent methods to model to pupils how to blend sounds 31 January and 1 February 2024

p.1

2

together to decode new words. Extra help is in place, if needed, to support some pupils to keep up with the phonics programme.

p.2

2

The library provides pupils with a well-resourced reading area. Pupils value this resource. Reading books are well matched to the level that pupils are at. This supports pupils to build confidence and develop their reading fluency. Staff read to pupils daily. Staff provide a positive model of fluency and use of expression. Pupils enjoy the opportunity to be read to.

p.2

2

The mathematics curriculum provides pupils with the opportunity to develop their fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills. The school has recently made changes to the mathematics curriculum. This has included a new lesson structure. Lessons now include ‘remind/rewind’ opportunities for pupils to recap their prior learning. Pupils say that this is helping them to remember more of the mathematics curriculum.

p.2

2

The curriculum plans for many of the foundation subjects are new. The important knowledge and skills that pupils should know and remember are clearly mapped out. Lessons are planned so that pupils’ learning builds upon what they have learned in previous lessons and year groups. However, there are some inconsistencies in how the curriculum is delivered. The school has plans in place to check that any changes to the curriculum help pupils to know and remember more of the intended curriculum.

p.2

2

Some of the systems and processes in place to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) require further refinement. The school has clear plans in place to ensure that the needs of all pupils with SEND are identified and met. However, this work has only just begun. As a result, there are currently some inconsistencies with how well pupils with SEND are supported. Teachers value recent training opportunities to develop their adaptive teaching methods.

p.2

2

Pupils’ wider development is carefully considered. Pupils have access to, and benefit from, a wide range of clubs, trips and additional experiences. This includes disadvantaged pupils. The personal, social and health education curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils demonstrate an age-appropriate understanding of different types of families and relationships. Pupils can relate the fundamental British values to their everyday lives. Pupils enjoy the opportunities they have to take on additional responsibilities. For example, they can be a team captain or play leader.

p.2

2

The school is well led and managed. Staff feel supported by leaders at both a personal and professional level. Staff feel invested in, and know that leaders care about, their career progression and professional development. Staff value the training opportunities available to them. Governors know the school’s priorities and provide leaders with appropriate support and challenge.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 31 January and 1 February 2024

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not always precisely adapted to meet the needs of all pupils with SEND. Some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that the curriculum is carefully adapted to ensure that all pupils with SEND achieve the ambitious targets of which they are capable.  The curriculum plans in foundation subjects are still very new. There are inconsistencies in the way some subjects are delivered. As a result, some pupils do not learn and remember the key knowledge as well as they should. Leaders need to ensure that they support staff to deliver the planned curriculum and check how well it is learned by pupils.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2015.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium 31 January and 1 February 2024

p.3

4

funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 31 January and 1 February 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 17 July 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The headteacher has been in post since September 2023.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision to educate pupils off site.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their 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 leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and reviewed samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector checked the work pupils had produced, reviewed curriculum plans and spoke with pupils and leaders for several other subjects. 31 January and 1 February 2024

p.5

6

 The inspector met with leaders responsible for behaviour, personal development, and the provision for pupils with SEND.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan. The inspector met with members of the local governing body.  The inspector met with the school improvement partner from the local authority.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including any free-text comments, as well as the results of Ofsted’s survey for school staff.

p.6

Inspection team

Luella Manssen, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 31 January and 1 February 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7