Roberttown Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant School

Inspection of Roberttown Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior and Infant School Church Road, Roberttown, Liversedge, West Yorkshire WF15 8BE

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since May 2013. Infant School 25 and 26 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Roberttown Church of England School live by the school values. They are accepting of others. Pupils are kind and polite. They have impeccable manners and are very proud of the work they do. In the early years, children learn to play happily together. Adults and pupils are respectful towards each other. There are warm and caring relationships in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that all adults will help them if they need support. Pupil ‘befrienders’ ensure that small issues are resolved. Pupils know that they always have someone to turn to. This helps everyone to feel safe. The school has high expectations. Pupils know what is expected of them. Pupils behave with exceptional maturity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils with additional special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. They have strategies to choose from at times when they need them. As a result, they quickly develop a sense of independence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in a range of clubs, including choir, drama and martial arts. They go on different trips linked to their learning. Year 6 pupils take part in a residential trip to Edinburgh, where they visit the castle and the zoo. Pupils develop a sense of responsibility through leadership roles. They become school councillors, play leaders and collective worship leaders. Across the school, pupils take part in developing ideas and making decisions that affect them.

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better?

Changes to many areas of the curriculum have been made recently. The school has clearly identified the knowledge and skills that pupils should know and remember. The curriculum is progressive. Pupils build on the knowledge they learn over time. The school ensures that staff teach the curriculum content well. The early years curriculum is well organised and broken down into half termly goals. This helps staff to identify and address any gaps in learning. In most lessons, staff consider the intended learning that is to take place when designing tasks. However, occasionally, in some subjects, the activities chosen do not maximise the learning that could take place.

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better?

Reading is a high priority in the school. The teaching of early reading through phonics lessons is particularly successful. All teachers have a sharp focus on ensuring that every pupil learns to read. Phonics lessons start as soon as children begin school. Pupils quickly learn to read. They achieve well. The books that pupils take home match the sounds they are learning in school. Families support pupils well with reading at home. The structures and routines from phonics lessons continue into key stage 2. This provides continuity for older pupils. Pupils love reading. They are keen to talk about the books that they are reading and why they chose them. Pupils who need extra support receive it through reading intervention lessons. Pupils are also offered extra reading opportunities with trained reading volunteers. Infant School 25 and 26 June 2024

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In core subjects, pupils achieve well. The majority of pupils achieve the expected standard. They leave the school ready for the next stage of their education. The new curriculum in some foundation subjects has not had time to embed fully. Leaders know the next step is to check that pupils learn and remember the knowledge identified in the new curriculums in these subjects.

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Children in the early years get off to a good start. Pupils with SEND are identified quickly. Additional support is put in place straight away. The curriculum is broken down well over time to ensure that children make progress. Staff know the children well. There is a sharp focus on ensuring that children learn new vocabulary. Children learn to take turns and listen carefully to each other. Staff check that pupils make friends and learn to manage their own emotions.

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Pupils with SEND are well understood, cared for and included. Staff and leaders are ambitious for all pupils. The school works closely with families. Strategies put in place at school are continued at home. Throughout the school, support for pupils with SEND has a strong impact on their confidence and personal well-being.

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The curriculum for personal, social and health education is well considered. This means that pupils have a strong understanding of how to stay safe online. They appreciate others’ differences and understand fundamental British values. Pupils link these to the school values and use them as a way of life. Pupils have a developing understanding of the wider world. The school is actively beginning to build diversity into the curriculum. This is to ensure that pupils have a deeper understanding of other faiths and cultures.

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Governors and other bodies supporting the school have a clear oversight of what the school does well and the areas it is developing. There are clear lines of communication between the school and governors. They are well informed in areas such as curriculum development and data analysis. Governors are active visitors to the school and have a focus to visits they carry out.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Different subjects are at different stages of implementation. In some subjects, where the curriculums have been recently adapted or changed, leaders do not yet know how well pupils are achieving. The school should continue to monitor all areas of subject development to ensure the overall curriculum is equally strong in all areas. Infant School 25 and 26 June 2024

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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). Infant School 25 and 26 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Mrs Samantha Laycock-Smith & Mrs Louise Wood Website www.roberttownschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 1 and 2 May 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school provides a breakfast club and after-school care.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The proportion of pupils at the school with SEND is well below average.  The proportion of pupils at the school who receive free school meals is well below average.

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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.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. Infant School 25 and 26 June 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils and teachers, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also met with staff and pupils to discuss the religious education curriculum.  Inspectors also met with leaders with responsibility for children with SEND, behaviour, attendance, and pupils’ personal development.  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.  The lead inspector met with the members of the governing body, including the chair.  The lead inspector also considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for

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Inspection team

Helen Haunch, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Adrian Fearn Ofsted Inspector Infant School 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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