Roman Hill Primary School

Inspection of Roman Hill Primary School Avondale Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 2NX

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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

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The headteacher of this school is Robert Lee. This school is part of Kingfisher Schools 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), Craig Morrison, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Neil Collins. 26 and 27 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Roman Hill now attend a school that provides a positive learning environment. The culture of the school has been significantly improved over the last two years as a result of leaders’ determination to ensure pupils receive a high standard of education. The impact of this work in terms of the quality of education is yet to be fully felt. Pupils’ achievement is not consistently high.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ work is improving. They are proud of their achievements and are keen to show visitors their exercise books. Pupils enjoy talking about the rewards they receive when they do well and when they attend school regularly. Younger children are curious and polite. They enjoy learning about the ‘big steps’ Neil Armstrong took when he landed on the Moon.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Holding open doors and saying ‘hello’ to adults, including visitors, is expected. Pupils do this naturally now because the culture of the school has changed. This is also reflected in the atmosphere in lessons. Pupils enjoy attending the school, make good friends and are enthusiastic about their learning. They are confident when talking to adults in the school. Pupils know that if they are worried about something, there is always an adult who will take the time to listen and then take action if needed.

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

While there is evidence of improvement, the quality of education is not yet good because some pupils’ work is not always checked rigorously. The errors pupils make are not picked up sufficiently well and, consequently, mistakes are sometimes repeated. Equally the work that pupils are given is not sufficiently well planned. Some pupils complete this very quickly while others struggle to finish. As a result, the work pupils produce does not consistently reflect their ability. While improving, outcomes for older pupils in national assessments are not yet strong.

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

The school’s approach to early reading and to supporting the weakest readers is effective. Well-trained staff deliver the reading programme well. The books chosen for pupils match their ability. Pupils benefit significantly from this. As a result, pupils become fluent and confident readers. Children in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) benefit from frequent phonics support and are well equipped for their next steps in key stage 1.

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

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is typically effective. The school quickly identifies the needs of pupils with additional needs before providing appropriate support. The needs of pupils with the highest levels of SEND are catered for exceptionally well in the ‘Puddleducks’ area of the school. A range of well- considered and planned resources are used to provide a purposeful learning environment.

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

Pupils behave well. The school is calm. Corridors are orderly and pupils line up and walk sensibly. During unstructured times, pupils talk happily to one another. They play games in the playground calmly and enjoy each other’s company. Some children act as well- being ambassadors. They keep a careful eye out for other pupils who might be upset. 26 and 27 November 2024

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They take this role very seriously. Pupils are polite to staff and visitors. In the small number of cases where bullying occurs, the school takes appropriate and effective action to address it. Most pupils attend school regularly. ‘Pupil attendance ambassadors’ support others when they struggle to come into school. The school is doing all that could reasonably be expected to encourage pupils to attend school, and challenge where attendance is not high.

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Children in the EYFS begin to learn about the world and themselves through well- designed activities from the very beginning of their time at Roman Hill. The school is justifiably proud of this curriculum. Older pupils have a detailed programme of personal, social, health and economic education lessons. This curriculum ensures that most pupils understand how to stay healthy and keep themselves safe. Pupils’ knowledge of online safety is strong. They fully understand the sorts of information that should not be shared online. Importantly, they understand why. Pupils are able to participate in a wide range of activities, such as dance and tag rugby, and many of them do so frequently. Pupils enjoy visits, including to a local museum.

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Leaders have made substantial positive changes to the school since the previous inspection. These are reflected in how the overall standards in the school have improved. The trust has provided appropriate and targeted support during a challenging period. Staff feedback indicates, overwhelmingly, that leaders at all levels provide a positive working environment by considering their workload and well-being effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils’ understanding in some subjects is not always checked consistently well. As a result, their misconceptions and errors are not identified and are allowed to be repeated. The school must ensure that its assessment systems are applied consistently across all subjects to enable pupils to learn effectively from any mistakes they make.  The work given to some pupils is not always coherently or sufficiently well planned. As a result, they do not develop secure knowledge or produce work of a sufficiently high standard to achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that lesson activities are designed effectively to help all pupils achieve well across the curriculum. 26 and 27 November 2024

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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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Website www.romanhill-pri.suffolk.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 February 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Kingfisher Schools Trust.  The school makes use of two registered and two unregistered alternative providers.

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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

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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. The lead inspector met with the headteacher, director of education, the CEO, the chair of trustees and members of the academy council.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. 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 and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also looked at further samples of work in science, geography and English.  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

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspection team considered the views of parents through responses to Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors gathered the views of staff through Ofsted’s staff survey, as well as interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Jonathan Rockey, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Benjamin Axon Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 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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