Rosa Street Primary and Nursery Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Rosa Street Primary and Nursery Academy Rosa Street, Spennymoor, County Durham DL16 7NA

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Outcome

Rosa Street Primary and Nursery Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Helen Gibbons. This school is part of Together Learning Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Alison Lazenby, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Richard Linsey.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Rosa Street Primary and Nursery Academy is a happy, focused place for pupils to learn. The school’s values of ‘care, ambition and respect’ are taught from early years. They are known and understood by the school community. Parents and carers show overwhelming support for the school and school staff. They say their children are happy to come to school and learn well in a range of subjects. Pupils show respect for one another and are keen to do their best. They have high aspirations for their future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff form good relationships with pupils. They support and challenge them in equal measure. Pupils thrive from this. Adults are aware of pupils’ individual needs. These needs are taken into consideration when designing the curriculum. As a result, pupils can access the curriculum and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for pupils. It wants them to see the opportunities that exist in the wider world. Links with international schools and visits to Parliament have strengthened this. Pupils are excited when talking about the visits they have made and appreciate these opportunities. They say it prepares them well for their next stage of education. Pupils feel safe in this school. 4 and 5 February 2025

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

The curriculum is designed to build learning from the early years. Children get off to a flying start in the early years provision. There is a clear focus on the development of communication and language. Staff check what children are learning. They use this information to ensure that the environment reflects the needs of the children and supports them in their next steps. Staff ensure children interact with adults to develop their discussions and curiosity. Transition is well planned through early years and into Year 1. This ensures children are well prepared for their next stage of learning.

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

The school is developing an ambitious curriculum. Subjects outside of the core are in varying degrees of implementation. While some subjects, such as history, have opportunities to help pupils revisit and remember key learning, other subjects do not do this. This hampers pupils’ retention of what they learn. Teachers do not consistently check on pupils’ learning across the curriculum. As a result, they sometimes do not readily pick up on errors and misconceptions that they have.

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

The school has a sharp focus on ensuring pupils can read and solve mathematical problems with independence. Phonics teaching is secure, and pupils who fall behind are quickly identified. The school uses interventions well to support pupils and address gaps in their knowledge. This helps them to catch up with their peers. Pupils become confident and fluent readers who appreciate a range of authors and books.

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

Staff have secure subject knowledge due to the regular and effective training they receive. Staff appreciate this and can see the impact it has on their practice. They are keen to develop their own skills and seek training to upskill themselves. This shows in the consistency of approach to curriculum areas such as phonics and the mathematical strategy. Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration for their well-being.

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

There has been an increase in pupils with complex special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has adapted the curriculum and the spaces in the school to provide better support. Some pupils with SEND access a nurture group, which provides them with social and emotional support. Staff are well trained to understand the needs of the pupils who access this provision. They adapt the curriculum in different ways. Due to the support they receive, pupils are becoming confident, independent and resilient learners.

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

Pupils’ wider development is carefully considered in the school. Pupils feel they have a voice to make changes. They are responsible for choosing the clubs on offer, and they appreciate the roles they have in school.

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

This is a school that has a ‘can-do’ approach to supporting pupils and their families. The school has built strong relationships with families. It has close working relationships with the CEO and the trust and is supported well by a knowledgeable and dedicated governing body. Leaders, including those responsible for governance, work together effectively to improve the life chances of pupils. 4 and 5 February 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some curriculum subjects, the school has not identified the important knowledge and vocabulary pupils need to revisit and remember long-term. This means pupils do not develop a deep understanding of these subjects over time. The school should ensure that in all subjects, it identifies the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need for later learning and that it supports teachers in checking that this is being retained.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2019.

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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. 4 and 5 February 2025

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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). 4 and 5 February 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The board of trustees

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 1 and 2 October 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher has been in post since September 2024.  There is an acting deputy headteacher.  The school runs its own nurture provision to support the needs of pupils with SEND.  The school runs its own breakfast club and also provides after-school childcare.  The school has provision for two-year-old children.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has 4 and 5 February 2025

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taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, school staff, pupils and parents. She also met with the CEO of the trust and members from the governing body.  The inspector looked at the strengths of the core curriculum and also the impact of the curriculum for other subjects.  The inspector met with the headteacher who is also currently the acting special educational needs and disabilities coordinator. She looked at SEND plans and provision in the school, including the nurture unit.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding the inspector reviewed the single central record; took into account 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 inspector observed behaviour and attitudes to learning around the school and

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during the school day. In addition, she met with pupils formally and informally to gather their views.  The inspector considered responses to the survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Debra Murphy, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 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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