Rustington Community Primary School

Inspection of Rustington Community Primary School North Lane, Rustington, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN16 3PW

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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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

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The headteacher of this school is Marie Smailes. This school is part of Schoolsworks Academy 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), Cathy Williams, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Norman Hunter Rose. 11 and 12 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are welcoming, friendly and proud of their thriving school. Expectations and ambitions are high for all. Behaviour is positive from early years to Year 6. Children in Reception learn to understand and manage their feelings. If any pupils struggle with their emotions, the school provides exceptional pastoral support. Pupils become ‘nurture ninjas’ to help others to feel happy. Warm and supportive relationships underpin the inclusive ethos of this joyful community. Pupils feel unique, special and valued here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well. By the end of each year, pupils are well prepared for their next steps. The school celebrates pupils’ wider talents through creative and musical experiences. Pupils are always proud to represent the school in an impressive range of sports events. Older pupils thrive with leadership roles and set a great example for their younger peers. Pupils learn to become active citizens through opportunities, including pupil parliament.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s work to keep pupils safe is excellent. Pupils develop strong awareness of online safety, which the school prioritises in the computing curriculum. Situated near to the sea, the school also provides crucial guidance about water safety. Trips enrich learning further. A particular highlight was a farm trip which brought history to life.

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

Children settle happily in the well-resourced early years environment, where opportunities are engaging and fun. Children learn to cooperate and share across the nurturing Reception classes. They immerse themselves in role play, art, construction and balance activities. Staff interact thoughtfully with children to help them to develop their early language and reading skills. Phonics teaching is effective as pupils move through key stage 1. Knowledgeable staff teach children sounds and help them to read well-matched books for valuable practice. Catch-up activities are supportive. This helps pupils to develop confidence, fluency and love for reading. As they progress through the school, pupils enjoy fiction and non-fiction texts across a wide range of genres.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum with precise knowledge and vocabulary. Teachers present information clearly using their strong subject knowledge. Staff check pupils’ understanding and give feedback to help them to learn from any mistakes. Expertise is shared across the school and trust. Science is a strength, enriched by stargazing events at the school.

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

The school uses skilful communication and collaboration to identify the needs of pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) progress well through the curriculum. Most pupils acquire secure skills with reading, writing and mathematics to prepare them well for secondary school. Last year, fewer pupils than usual achieved exceptional standards in mathematics at the end of key stage 2. The school has strengthened provision to boost pupils’ problem-solving skills. Pupils now tackle advanced mathematical challenges with great success. Across the school’s broad curriculum, lesson tasks are usually well designed, but adaptations are not always precise. This prevents 11 and 12 February 2025

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some pupils, including pupils with SEND, from learning key content securely across the whole curriculum.

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Pupils are polite, respectful and kind to each other, staff and visitors. They hold doors open and encourage others to follow school rules. Sometimes, pupils lack enthusiasm for learning and require more encouragement to fully engage and try their best. However, learning is not disrupted. Conduct around school is calm and positive. The school has used suspensions appropriately when needed. The school’s strong pastoral care leads to tangible improvements to behaviour to keep everyone happy and safe. The school provides effective support to help families overcome barriers to attendance. This impressive work has reduced absence to ensure that pupils’ attendance is high.

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Personal development is built on excellent support for mental health and emotional well- being. Curriculum and assembly activities help pupils to empathise with the needs of others. They explore role models, such as inspirational female scientists, to learn to embrace equality and diversity. A wide range of clubs ensures something for everyone, including dodgeball, drama, netball, football and gymnastics.

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Leaders and trustees provide staff with extensive professional development. As a result, the staff team is highly motivated and knowledgeable. Staff feel well supported by dedicated and reflective leaders. Collaboration across the trust is a strong asset to the work of the school. Trustees and governors fulfil their roles by giving valuable support and challenge. Pupils are at the heart of everything the school does. Leaders at all levels ensure that school improvements are sensibly managed to avoid excessive workload. Many parents and carers speak highly of the compassion and kindness shown by everyone in this thriving school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Lesson activities are not always adapted effectively to meet the needs of all pupils across the curriculum. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as highly as they could. The school should ensure that learning is adapted effectively to help pupils to achieve highly across all subjects.

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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. 11 and 12 February 2025

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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). 11 and 12 February 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 September 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of Schoolsworks Academy Trust.  Since the last inspection, the school has increased from two-form to three-form entry.  The school does not currently use alternative provision.  Pupils attend before- and after-school care on the school site, managed by an external provider.

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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. 11 and 12 February 2025

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 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteachers, trust leaders, teachers and support staff.  The lead inspector met with the CEO and chair of trustees.  Inspectors also met remotely with the chair of the local governance committee.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, computing and science. For deep dives, 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.  The lead inspector listened to a range of pupils read. The inspector observed catch-up

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interventions to learn how staff provide extra support to pupils.  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.  Inspectors spoke to a range of pupils to learn their views about the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views of the school.  Inspectors took account of responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and the free- text responses.

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Inspection team

Scott Reece, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Katie Hancock His Majesty's Inspector 11 and 12 February 2025

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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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