Rushey Mead Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Rushey Mead Primary School Gipsy Lane, Leicester, Leicestershire LE4 6RB

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Outcome

Rushey Mead Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Rushey Mead enjoy being part of this inclusive and welcoming school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for everyone to achieve. Many pupils join and leave the school at different ages and at different times in the year. For many pupils, this is their first school in England. Pupils benefit from the school having many staff who speak several languages. When needed, these members of staff provide additional support, with a focus on pupils securing basic language skills. This helps pupils, over time, to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at the school. They all appreciate the support that they receive from adults. Pupils understand that adults are there to help them learn. Pupils say that bullying is rare. They know to go to their trusted adult if they are worried. Pupils feel safe at the school. They learn how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know the school rules. They say that the adults are fair. The pupils are polite and friendly. They get along well together. They listen respectfully. The behaviour at the school is good.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy many educational trips to places of interest. Many attend the large number of clubs the school provides. The school achieves its aim of ‘Broadening Horizons’.

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

The school has an effective curriculum. It supports pupils’ personal development well. It includes learning about important people from different cultures and people with disabilities.

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

Language is an important part of the curriculum. Exploring new words is a feature of every lesson. Sentences are well modelled and pupils repeat them. As a result, many pupils achieve a high level of fluency as they move through the school. This helps to accelerate their learning as they get older. 16 and 17 April 2024

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For each subject, the curriculum is well sequenced. It identifies the precise knowledge that pupils need to learn. Staff use this information well to plan lessons to help pupils to develop a secure understanding of key knowledge and skills.

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For example, in physical education lessons, when teaching shot put, an instruction sheet was shared. It identified the exact actions to be successful. This was enhanced with clear and precise demonstrations. Pupils understood well how to throw the shot put as a result.

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In mathematics, the curriculum identifies the exact knowledge that pupils need to learn. Teachers adapt their approach according to pupils’ needs. They carefully consider the language that they use to ensure that all pupils can access the learning. They want all pupils to achieve. However, not all teachers consistently check how secure all pupils are in their understanding.

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The teaching of reading is a priority at the school. Pupils who have fallen behind or who are new to English receive extra lessons. The school has adopted a new systematic approach to teaching phonics. The school has purchased many more books to ensure that pupils can practise reading at home. Teachers carry out detailed checks to ensure that the teaching is more precise. Pupils develop well as confident, fluent readers.

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The early years provision is an exciting place to learn. There is lots to do. The early years curriculum has been carefully designed to help children’s development across all areas of learning. Adults are well trained. They understand what the children need to learn. Children know the routines and follow them. They are well prepared for their next stage.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well in Bonsai class. In this specialist class, pupils develop their communication skills. They learn how to use actions and images to express needs. This provision is highly effective.

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In the main school, pupils with SEND receive additional support. Adults who deliver this support are trained well. They know what the pupils need to learn. These pupils achieve well, as a result of the support that they receive.

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Pupils develop a very good understanding of important fundamental British values, such as democracy and respect. They know each value, their meaning and why they are important. The curriculum also includes learning the Rushey Mead character traits. The character traits include being articulate, curious and resilient. Teachers include them in every lesson. Pupils know that these traits are important.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 16 and 17 April 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The use of assessment to check on pupils’ understanding is inconsistent. As a result, some pupils do not recall the knowledge they have learned as well as they should. The school should ensure that assessment is used consistently across the school to check how well pupils are understanding the intended curriculum, so that pupils receive the very best opportunities to be able to know and remember more.

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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 school to be good in 15–16 May 2018.

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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’ 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 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). 16 and 17 April 2024

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provision

Appropriate authority The governing body

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provision

Website www.rusheymead-pri.leicester.sch.uk/

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provision

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 May 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND. The Bonsai class caters for nine pupils who have significant speech, language and communication needs.  The school operates a breakfast club on the premises.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is much larger than the national average.  The school experiences significantly more mobility than is seen nationally.  The school does not use any alternative provisions.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 16 and 17 April 2024

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 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 met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteachers. The inspector also met with members of the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector 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 inspector observed pupils reading with a familiar adult.  The inspector also spoke to several other subject leaders.  The inspector met with leaders responsible for pupils’ personal development, behaviour

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and attendance, the early years and the provision for pupils with SEND.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the results of the Ofsted surveys for school staff and pupils. He met with groups of staff and pupils.  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.

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Inspection team

Andy Lakatos, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 April 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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