Rushbrook Primary Academy

Inspection of Rushbrook Primary Academy Shillingford Road, Gorton, Manchester, Lancashire M18 7TN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of this school is Matthew Carroll. This school is part of the Bright Futures Educational Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), John Stephens and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Daniel Rubin. 25 and 26 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this warm and caring school. They know that staff will listen to them. Pupils appreciate the care and guidance that is offered to them by the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for the achievement of its pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils display positive attitudes towards their learning. They achieve well in most subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and well mannered. They are confident and articulate, including when speaking with visitors. Classrooms are typically calm. This helps pupils to do their best in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a clear understanding of fundamental British values. They are aware of the differences between people and that it is important to respect everyone equally. They have a keen sense of fairness and said that everyone is included at their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils revel in their leadership responsibilities, including acting as happiness ambassadors or members of the school parliament. An increasing number of educational visits enhance pupils’ learning across the curriculum. Pupils enjoy attending a wide range of after-school clubs, including athletics, dance and choir.

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better?

The school has worked successfully with the trust to secure improvements to the quality of its curriculum. Trustees and members of the local governing body have an accurate picture of the work of the school. They hold the school to account for its work.

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better?

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum that meets the learning needs of pupils, including those with SEND. The curriculum provides clarity for teachers about the knowledge that they should teach to pupils and when they should do so. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes gain a positive start to their education. They settle into school life quickly due to the strong relationships that they enjoy with staff.

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better?

The curriculum is taught well. Staff have the expertise that they need to help children in the early years and pupils in key stages 1 and 2 to learn curriculum content. Staff check on pupils’ learning and identify misconceptions quickly. This means that pupils achieve well.

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better?

Staff have been trained to help pupils to remember and recall what they have learned. However, in some subjects, some teachers do not use these strategies consistently well. This means that pupils sometimes struggle to remember what has been taught. At these times, they find it tricky to make connections between their prior learning and new subject content. 25 and 26 June 2024

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Reading has a high profile. The school focuses effectively on staff developing pupils’ love of books. Pupils recall the books that they have read at school. They talked confidently about which authors they prefer. Older pupils read widely and with fluency and confidence.

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Children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 have many opportunities to listen to stories and rhymes that are read to them by staff. This helps children in the Nursery class to build a secure knowledge of sounds. Children make a quick start on the phonics programme when they move into the Reception class. Staff deliver the well-structured phonics programme in the early years and in key stage 1 effectively. Pupils read from books that include the sounds that they have already learned. Teachers spot pupils who are not keeping up with the programme swiftly and help them to catch up.

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The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND at the earliest possible opportunity. It ensures that comprehensive and well-designed support is put in place for these pupils. The school checks the effectiveness of staff’s support rigorously. Pupils with SEND participate in all aspects of school life. These pupils achieve well.

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Pupils’ positive behaviour and their improving levels of attendance at school support their learning. The school works successfully with families to resolve any issues in pupils’ attendance. The majority of pupils are attentive during lessons. They understand and follow well-established classroom routines. Pupils show respect, manners and courtesy when talking to other pupils and adults.

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The school’s support for pupils’ wider development and well-being is highly effective. Pupils have a strong understanding of how to stay safe when working and playing online. The school has carefully established a range of activities to prepare pupils for their future lives, such as attending careers days at a local university.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They value the strong relationships and teamwork with their colleagues. Staff appreciate the many training opportunities that the school provides for them. The school considers staff’s workload to help them to fulfil their responsibilities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, staff do not help pupils to recap their learning well enough. As a result, some pupils are less able to remember what they have previously been taught. The school should ensure that staff provide greater opportunities for 25 and 26 June 2024

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pupils to recall what they have been taught so that they can know and remember more over time.

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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.

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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 (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). 25 and 26 June 2024

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School details

Website https://rpa.bright-futures.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 March 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Rushbrook Primary Academy is a member of the Bright Futures Educational Trust.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  Several new governors have also been appointed since the previous inspection.

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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 of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the principal and with other leaders and members of staff. The lead inspector spoke with members of the multi-academy trust and the local 25 and 26 June 2024

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governing body. He also met with the CEO and the deputy CEO. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science, geography, and art and design. They talked with curriculum leaders of these subject areas. Inspectors also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and spoke with pupils. They also observed some pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in some other subjects. They met with the curriculum leaders. They also spoke with pupils and looked at examples of their

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work in these subjects.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around school. They also observed pupils at lunchtime and while they played outside at playtime and lunchtime.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. They also met with some parents and carers before school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Ian Shackleton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jeanette Westhead Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 June 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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