Romanby Primary School

Inspection of Romanby Primary School The Close, Romanby, Northallerton, North Yorkshire DL7 8BL

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 19 and 20 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Romanby Primary School is a welcoming place where pupils are happy and feel cared for. Building relationships is a priority of this school. Parents, carers and pupils highly value the strong sense of community. Pupils have confidence in adults, who listen and help whenever needed. Pupils thrive in this nurturing environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Kindness and consideration play a key role in everyday life. Pupils are polite to each other, creating a positive and friendly atmosphere. They treat everyone equally and celebrate differences in beliefs, backgrounds and opinions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations for behaviour and learning. Pupils understand the importance of always doing their best. The school encourages them to be thoughtful and considerate individuals. Pupils support others, helping to build a strong foundation for their future success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are confident in lessons. They have learned about staying safe. This includes how to stay safe online and how to build healthy relationships. Older pupils work with younger children; they take responsibility for making the school a welcoming place for all.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has acted decisively to address previous lower outcomes at key stage 2. It has revised the curriculum in English and mathematics. These changes have led to marked improvements in pupils’ achievement.

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

The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum that helps pupils build their learning step by step from early years to Year 6. The school has identified the essential knowledge that pupils need to be successful with their next steps in learning. Pupils deepen their understanding over time. Older pupils can explain geographical knowledge, such as contour lines and time zones, in detail. The curriculum also connects to the school’s local area. For example, pupils study and work with local artists. The school ensures its pupils can succeed by identifying additional needs effectively. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Adaptations such as pre-teaching and hands-on activities support pupils. These strategies help pupils make good progress from their starting points.

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

The school has recently developed its mathematics curriculum to deepen pupils’ thinking. This curriculum encourages pupils to solve problems and to think logically. Evidence of this deepened thinking can be seen in lessons and pupils’ work. Many pupils rise to meet these challenges successfully. However, some pupils struggle when they are unsure what to do to complete other mathematics tasks independently.

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

The school is developing a culture of reading. For example, pupils’ interest in reading is sparked by daily reading for pleasure, class novels and drama. There is a positive environment where reading is valued and enjoyed. The school prioritises teaching pupils to read. The daily phonics programme begins in early years. Pupils respond well to the 19 and 20 November 2024

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consistent delivery of the programme. Pupils who need extra support receive daily practice to keep up with the sounds they need to learn. The books that pupils read include words that contain the sounds that they know. This helps pupils to read with success and build their fluency. However, some pupils at an earlier stage of learning to read do not catch up quickly. There are some occasions when the teaching and organisation of groups lead to some pupils with weaker phonics knowledge being expected to learn the same sounds as their classmates. They struggle, and do not keep up with the school’s phonics programme as well as they might.

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Early years offers a rich, play-filled environment where children thrive. Learning activities such as retelling the story of ‘The Three Little Pigs’ encourage teamwork and creativity. Adults model vocabulary and ask questions to extend children’s thinking. Children show patience and self-control during tasks to master their understanding of number. Fine motor activities, such as using scissors, support skill development. Indoor and outdoor spaces are well organised, with children explaining where resources are kept. They access these resources independently. Children explain routines such as ‘staying hydrated’ and remind each other to wear aprons when painting. Staff provide tailored support, such as practising balance, to meet individual needs. This prepares children for future learning.

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The school helps pupils gain the skills and values to become responsible citizens. Pupils participate in sports such as football and multi-sports. They understand the importance of keeping healthy. Pupils create their own lunchtime clubs, such as yoga and mindfulness. These clubs build their leadership and initiative skills. Pupils take part in music, drama and creative activities. They join community projects, such as the ‘Wombles of Hambleton’ litter-picking group. Leadership activities, such as being ambassadors and taking part in debating competitions, boost confidence. Pupils learn about global issues and different cultures, faiths and traditions. This helps them respect and understand diversity.

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The school is developing strong leadership at all levels. Governors have a clear focus on the quality of education provided by the school and carry out their roles effectively. Leaders manage staff’s workloads well to reduce unnecessary pressure. Staff feel well supported.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils take part in phonics lessons that are not matched to their starting points. As a result, they do not learn new sounds as quickly as they could. The school should ensure that lessons are matched to pupils’ starting points and meet the needs of pupils’ reading knowledge. 19 and 20 November 2024

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 The modelling of mathematical processes is not as consistently clear as it could be. This means that, at times, pupils are unsure how to complete tasks independently. This hinders their progress. The school should ensure that teachers are confident in modelling how tasks should be completed and in how to guide pupils effectively.

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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). 19 and 20 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 19 and 20 November 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, art and design and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning, listened to pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about other subjects.  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 met with a wide range of staff, including the headteacher, the acting deputy headteacher and other school leaders. The inspectors also spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and a representative of the

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local authority.  Throughout the inspection, the inspectors met with groups of staff and considered the opinions expressed through the staff survey.  The inspectors considered the views of parents expressed through Ofsted Parent View and met parents at the school gate.

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Inspection team

Lesley Sullivan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Michael Piper Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 November 2024

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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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