Rowan Gate Primary School - Four Sites

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Rowan Gate Primary School -Three Sites and Two Satellites Finedon Road, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN8 4NS

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 February 2025

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Outcome

Rowan Gate Primary School -Three Sites and Two Satellites has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Rowan Gate is a lovely school. This is the view of many parents and carers and pupils. It is clear to see why they say this. Pupils are exceptionally well cared for at this welcoming and supportive school. Staff know the pupils incredibly well. Their detailed knowledge of each pupil’s special educational needs and/or disability enables them to provide precise support so that pupils flourish.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school continues to provide a high-quality education across all of its sites. Staff have a united passion for pupils to achieve their highest potential. Their commitment to following the ‘Rowan Gate way’ ensures that all pupils experience a familiar and consistent approach. Pupils develop strong working relationships with staff. Pupils know staff will support them to learn and will look after them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils engage well in their learning. They have positive attitudes to their education. Pupils who are nonverbal are helped to communicate their needs and desires. Staff’s detailed understanding of how these pupils communicate means they can respond accurately to how pupils are feeling. This ensures that these pupils do not become anxious or frustrated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The personal development of pupils is excellent. The school provides them with a vast range of experiences that prepare them well for their next steps. 25 and 26 February 2025

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

The school continually refines its ambitious curriculum. This is structured into different pathways to meet the various needs of pupils. Each pupil’s education, health and care plan (EHC plan) is carefully considered, and pupils’ needs are fully assessed. This allows staff to place pupils in groups that best support their learning. Staff check pupils’ knowledge and skills against their individual targets. This ensures they know how well each pupil is progressing through the curriculum. Staff use these checks to plan the next steps that challenge pupils to learn and develop further. All pupils develop the knowledge and skills they need to reach the ambitious outcomes set for them.

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

Staff deliver a curriculum which enables pupils to build on their very early learning experiences. The children and younger pupils who are grouped together are exceptionally well prepared for their next steps. Meticulous planning details what progress through the curriculum looks like for each child.

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

The school fosters a readiness in pupils to learn with the resilience they need to achieve. The learning environment is carefully structured to suit pupils’ requirements, paying careful attention to any sensory needs. Pupils enjoy well-planned therapeutic activities. These provide excellent opportunities to develop pupils’ interaction and communication skills. Some pupils access subjects from the national curriculum at a level that is appropriate for them. They develop their understanding of English and mathematics through a well-structured curriculum.

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

There has been careful consideration given to how best to develop pupils’ ability to read. Staff help pupils understand sounds and link them to the letters they represent. This then builds into the school’s chosen phonics approach for early reading. The pupils who can read do so with increasing confidence. Staff build enjoyment for reading in many ways, including skilfully using sensory stories to capture pupils’ attention.

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

Staff help pupils to develop their resilience when managing change. They anticipate transitions and provide pupils with appropriate cues to help them to adapt. Staff regularly review any potential causes of unsettled behaviours. This allows them to identify any bespoke support pupils may need to help them to manage their emotions. Because pupils are helped to communicate their needs, they are less frustrated, and so many remain calm and focused on their learning.

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

Some pupils find it difficult to attend the school due to medical reasons or their complex anxieties. A team of dedicated staff support families to ensure that all pupils’ attendance improves.

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

Pupils have extensive opportunities to engage with the local community. Trips and visits develop their understanding of the wider world. Some of these include local places of worship and places of interest that build their cultural awareness, for example the local museum. Pupils are involved in charitable activities. Lunchtime clubs broaden pupils’ learning, support teamwork and develop their understanding of different emotions. Pupils learn about healthy lifestyles, relationships, making choices and different types of families. 25 and 26 February 2025

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They are taught about how to keep themselves safe. All of these experiences develop pupils as individuals and prepare them well for their next steps.

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Staff feel well supported. They appreciate the effort made to reduce their workload and improve their well-being. The actions of school leaders to continually improve the school are highly effective. The governing body provides appropriate checks to ensure that all statutory responsibilities are fulfilled.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 outstanding 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in March 2014.

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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. 25 and 26 February 2025

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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). 25 and 26 February 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Rowan Gate Primary School is a special school for pupils with a range of additional needs. It predominantly supports pupils with autism, severe learning needs and those with speech, language and communication needs. All pupils are supported by an EHC plan.  There has been a significant growth in pupil numbers since the last inspection. This has led to additional premises being acquired and the expansion of existing school buildings. The school now operates from five different sites.  There is a ‘head of provision’ for each school site.  The headteacher was absent at the time of the inspection. The strategic deputy headteacher is the acting headteacher of the school.  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. 25 and 26 February 2025

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 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 acting headteacher and other senior and curriculum leaders. The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair and vice-chair of governors.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and at other times around school.  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 took note of the responses received on Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent

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View, and considered the results of Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Dave Gilkerson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Caroline Barton Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 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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