Rode Heath Primary School

Inspection of Rode Heath Primary School Heath Avenue, Rode Heath, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST7 3RY

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 12 and 13 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are extremely happy in school. They never want to miss a day. This contributes to their high rates of attendance. Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary in lessons and at playtimes. They strive to live up to the school’s values of fairness, resilience, teamwork and curiosity. Pupils said that they have a strong voice in school and that they use this to stand up for what is right.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and their parents and carers, said that they feel proud and fortunate to be a part of this welcoming school. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), seize every opportunity to learn something new. For example, they relish taking part in the wide variety of after-school clubs on offer, such as yoga, coding, choir and engineering.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve exceptionally well. They more than rise to the school’s high expectations of their academic achievement. Pupils have a real thirst to learn more each and every day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6 as knowledgeable and thoughtful individuals. They are extremely well prepared for the demands of secondary school.

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better?

The school has carefully constructed a highly ambitious curriculum. The curriculum clearly defines the knowledge that pupils should know and remember from the Nursery Year to the end of Year 6. It enables pupils to flourish. Pupils develop a deep and rich body of knowledge across a broad range of subjects.

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better?

Highly trained staff deliver the curriculum with expertise and enthusiasm. They skilfully design learning activities that help pupils to make strong connections between new learning and what they know already. Pupils develop detailed knowledge of sophisticated concepts. For instance, pupils’ recent writing about the Windrush generation is both powerful and thought-provoking.

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better?

Staff have secure subject knowledge. They skilfully check that pupils have retained key concepts in their long-term memory before delivering any new learning. Pupils discussed their learning with great confidence and a maturity beyond their years.

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better?

Children in the early years receive the best possible start to their education. The exceedingly well-ordered early years’ curriculum sets out the specific knowledge that children must learn. Highly trained staff deliver the curriculum with skill. They interact exceptionally well with children. For example, staff question, support and draw out the specific learning that children must know and remember. Children show remarkable levels of concentration and perseverance in the activities that are designed for them. This prepares children very well for Year 1 and beyond. 12 and 13 March 2024

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The school has high expectations for pupils with SEND. Pupils’ additional needs are quickly and accurately identified. Staff adapt the delivery of the curriculum exceptionally well so that pupils with SEND can learn alongside their peers. Pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum and they participate fully in school life.

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Reading is central to the curriculum. It is threaded through every subject. Pupils’ love of reading shines through. Many pupils talked about how reading opens doors and new worlds to them. Older pupils discussed with delight the many authors who they like and the different types of books that they enjoy reading. Pupils talked about how they are inspired by these authors and use their ideas and vocabulary to strong effect in their own writing.

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In the Nursery class, children enjoy listening to different rhymes and songs. The school ensures that staff deliver the phonics programme with fidelity. Staff make sure that the books that pupils read are carefully matched to the sounds that they know. Highly trained staff provide pupils with extra support if they need it. This helps these pupils to catch up quickly with their reading. Consequently, many pupils read fluently and accurately by the end of Year 2.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional. They learn without distraction. They are highly respectful towards staff, pupils and visitors. The programme to promote pupils’ personal development has been carefully constructed. Pupils take on leadership roles, such as acting as school councillors and eco-council members. They plan and deliver assemblies on topics such as protecting the world’s oceans or keeping pupils safe. This rich offer provides the knowledge and skills that pupils need to become successful and active citizens of modern-day Britain.

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Governors understand and fulfil their statutory duties with diligence. They provide highly effective challenge and support to the school to continually improve the quality of education that pupils receive.

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Staff know that their workload and well-being are considered when any decision is made. They are highly appreciative of the support that they receive to enable them to carry out their roles effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 12 and 13 March 2024

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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 ’ 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 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). 12 and 13 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 November 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.  The school runs a before- and after-school club for pupils.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff. 12 and 13 March 2024

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 The lead inspector met representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, they held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: 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 inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including records of governing body meetings, leaders’ evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for

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improvement and documents relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  The inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school and observed their behaviour at playtime. They considered the views of pupils shared through Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  The inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online survey.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Sue Dymond, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kevin Simpson Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 March 2024

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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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