Rawdon Littlemoor Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Rawdon Littlemoor Primary School New Road Side, Rawdon, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS19 6DD

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Outcome

Rawdon Littlemoor Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Rawdon Littlemoor Primary School puts the pupils at the heart of everything it does, from the ambitious curriculum to the extensive personal development offer. The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These expectations are realised as pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults know children and their families well. They foster nurturing and positive relationships. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are happy in a school where they feel safe. Pupils behave extremely well. They show very positive attitudes to their learning. In lessons, pupils are eager to contribute and share ideas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils thrive in a wide range of leadership roles. In these roles, they develop confidence and relish the important responsibilities they are given. Pupils apply for ‘jobs’ such as ‘Personal Assistants’ to staff and leaders. Mental health ambassadors prioritise and vouch for the well-being of their peers. Key stage 2 ‘buddies’ are positive role models for children in early years. School councillors contribute positively to planning for school improvements. These responsibilities prepare pupils well to be active members of society.

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

The school has developed and introduced an ambitious curriculum. History and geography topics consider the local context. The curriculum follows a clear sequence of learning. The school has carefully planned for new learning to build on what pupils have learned before. In most lessons, teachers use effective strategies to help pupils remember prior learning and to learn and remember new content and ideas. This helps pupils to build their knowledge over time. The curriculum is not consistently well implemented in all subjects. For instance, some pupils in key stage 2 do not build their knowledge of French over time.

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

Through making checks on pupils’ learning, teachers identify and address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Teachers expertly and skilfully use questioning to explore pupils’ 12 and 13 June 2024

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thinking and to get pupils to think more deeply. Teachers are well trained. For instance, they use their strong subject knowledge to effectively build pupils’ mathematical understanding. Pupils who may have SEND have their needs identified quickly. Adaptations to the curriculum and expert support from adults ensure that these pupils achieve well.

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The school has placed a high priority on reading. Books are visible and celebrated throughout school. Classrooms have inviting reading corners. Children in early years share favourite books together. The school has developed its own bespoke programme for the teaching of phonics. This detailed programme ensures that pupils understand the sounds that letters make and develop fluency in reading. Despite these strengths, there is some variation in the methods used to implement the programme. This could make it more difficult for some pupils to build fluency as they move between groups or read aloud to different adults.

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The personal development of pupils in the school is impressive. There are numerous opportunities for pupils to develop their interests. A wide range of clubs are available including a variety of sports and creative activities. Pupils can also learn bushcraft. These clubs are very well attended. Through a strong curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE), pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe. Pupils also learn about the importance of good mental health and healthy relationships.

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Children in early years get off to a great start. The curriculum in early years prepares children well for the next stage of their education. Children enjoy strong, positive relationships with adults. Adults support children’s learning with interactions that focus on developing children’s language and communication. Children have plentiful opportunities to practise and develop knowledge of early mathematics. Children in early years with SEND are supported extremely well and learn alongside their peers with similar levels of independence and cooperation.

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Behaviour in lessons and at less-structured times is very positive. Children in the early years behave extremely well, responding well to clear routines and high expectations. Pupils move around school in a sensible and orderly way. At playtimes, pupils access a range of play equipment to support positive and collaborative activity.

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Leaders of the school are passionate and committed to the best possible outcomes for the pupils, their families and the community. The school benefits from positive and productive collaborations with other local schools. Governors ensure that they know the school well. They make regular visits to the school to monitor the impact of agreed policies and plans. They are highly effective in holding the school to account.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 12 and 13 June 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Despite strong outcomes in early reading, there is some variation in the methods used to teach the phonics programme. This means that some pupils could find it difficult when they move between groups. The school needs to ensure that phonics strategies are consistently applied in all contexts.  Some aspects of the wider curriculum such as the teaching of disciplinary knowledge are not as developed as they could be. This affects pupils’ depth of learning. The school should further develop the curriculum so that pupils learn well in all subjects.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2014.

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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 (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 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 December 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.

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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 these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. 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 met with the headteacher and other leaders. He also met with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. 12 and 13 June 2024

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 The inspector examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans, records of governance, and documentation relating to attendance and pupils’ behaviour.  The inspector took account of responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, the pupils’ survey and the staff survey. The inspector spoke informally with parents at the end of the school day.  During the inspection, the inspector met with groups of pupils, both formally and during less structured parts of the day.  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

Dughall McCormick, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 12 and 13 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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