Round Hill Primary School

Inspection Report Round Hill Primary School

p.1

122707 Unique Reference Number NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Local Authority 292480 Inspection number 15 °16 January 2007 Inspection dates David Speakman Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Foster Avenue School address Primary Type of school Beeston, Beeston Community School category Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG9 1AE 4 °11 Age range of pupils

p.1

0115 9179262 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0115 9179263 Fax number 448 Number on roll (school) Mr B Taylor Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr S R Lewis Headteacher 4 November 2002 Date of previous school inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 292480 15 °16 January 2007 4°11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

p.2

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors over two days.

p.3

Description of the school

This is a larger than average primary school. Almost half the pupils come from out of district. A high number of pupils enter or leave the school during the school year. A high proportion of these have limited English skills or have learning difficulties. This means that attainment on entry to the school is below average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is average and there are none with a statement of special educational need. There is a high number and wide range of minority ethnic groups represented in the school, with over 20 languages other than English present. A significant number of these pupils are at the early stages of learning English.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Round Hill Primary School, 15 °16 January 2007

p.3

Grade: 2

The inspection findings agree with the school's self-evaluation that its effectiveness is good. Pupils' achievement is good and the school provides good value for money. Test results at the end of Year 6 in 2006 showed attainment was average overall and above average in English. Standards in Year 6 are currently above average. The school's success is also rooted in good achievement and above average standards in information and communication technology (ICT), music, drama and physical education, which are taught by specialist teachers. Pupils' personal development is outstanding. Behaviour in and around school is excellent. There has been a very significant improvement in behaviour since the last inspection, due to the implementation of 'The Round Hill Way,' a set of principles and expectations of behaviour on which the school operates and which are evident in many aspects of school life. Pupils consider the school a safe place to be and they enjoy

p.4

Grade: 2

being there. Their attendance is good. Parents comment about the high quality of children's awareness of life in other cultures and the high level of social harmony that exists in such a culturally diverse school. Pupils' contribution to both the school and outside communities is outstanding. They have a good awareness of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, such as keeping physically fit and eating healthily. Good computer skills and the entrepreneurial skills they show in enterprise projects, together with secure basic literacy and numeracy skills mean that they are well equipped for their future lives. The curriculum and pastoral care are both outstanding. The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage and of the education provided throughout the school is good. The impact of teaching on pupils' learning is good and, based on the respect teachers and pupils have for each other, contributes well to creating an environment in which

p.4

Grade: 2

pupils can learn effectively. The school has started to identify specific groups of pupils that would benefit from further support. Its use of assessment information to support the provision for different groups of pupils is limited. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher works very closely with an extremely talented deputy headteacher, leadership team and subject leaders and provides excellent leadership and a very clear direction for school improvement. This is documented in the good quality school improvement plan, but the criteria by which the school judges the impact of initiatives are not clearly identified. The level of governors' involvement in the school's work is excellent. With the high level of expertise in leadership and management, good quality of teaching and learning, excellent improvement in pupils' behaviour and attitudes since the previous inspection and rising standards, the school has an excellent capacity to improve further.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Extend the use of assessment information to support the learning and achievement of different groups of pupils. • Make sure the impact of the school improvement plan can be accurately measured. 2 Inspection Report: Round Hill Primary School, 15 °16 January 2007

p.4

Grade: 2

Pupils' achievement is good. In the Foundation Stage children achieve well and by the time they enter Year 1 most reach the goals expected of them. They make particularly good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. Test results in 2006 showed that standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 were broadly average. In Year 6, results were broadly average in mathematics and science and above average in English. The school has set challenging targets for this year and inspection evidence shows that standards are currently above average in English and mathematics. Pupils make particularly good progress considering the high number that join the school mid year, many with limited or no English or with learning difficulties. Pupils' achievement is good at both Key Stages 1 and 2. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities and those pupils with English as an additional language also achieve well.

p.5

Grade: 1

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. They know they are expected to support and take pride in their community and excel in these challenges. Many enjoy extra responsibilities, such as 'playground peacemakers' and as school council representatives, and carry these roles out diligently. Even though behaviour is outstanding, pupils wish to improve their manners in the dining hall, demonstrating the high standards they set for themselves. Pupils clearly value belonging to a caring community and contribute outstandingly to both the school and wider communities. They worked closely with the parent and teacher partnership to raise funds for the fitness trail, amphitheatre and the summer house. Members of the Eco Club have raised the profile of how we should care for the environment, supporting their understanding of how they can contribute to the wider community. Pupils feel safe in school because of the ethos of respect and consideration

p.5

Grade: 1

outlined in 'The Round Hill Way.' They learn to behave in safe ways outstandingly well. They adopt good healthy lifestyles by eating healthily and taking lots of physical exercise.

p.5

Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. In many lessons teaching provides challenging opportunities for pupils. Teaching assistants give good support in lessons, especially to those who find learning difficult so that pupils achieve well and make good progress. Teachers know that pupils find ICT helpful in their learning and have worked successfully to provide this in different subjects. The school has good systems for checking how well individual pupils are doing. The best teaching uses assessment 3 Inspection Report: Round Hill Primary School, 15 °16 January 2007 information well to help pupils know not only what their targets for improvement are, but also the steps they need to take to reach them. Not all teaching provides guidance of this calibre. Marking of pupils' work is inconsistent in guiding pupils about what they have done well or how they could improve further. Specialist teachers in art, music, drama, modern foreign languages and physical education significantly enrich

p.5

Grade: 1

The school provides an outstanding range of activities to help pupils to learn in lessons and in school clubs. As one parent put it, 'The range of opportunity for children is quite extraordinary.' All pupils who want to take part in sport, creative activities or music are encouraged to do so at a level that is likely to ensure they meet with success. The curriculum is extremely rich in provision for ICT and for pupils' creative and physical development. Children in the Reception class get a good balance between teacher directed and self chosen activities to develop their skills and confidence in all areas of learning, particularly in personal and social development. There is a robust emphasis through the 'Round Hill Way' on personal, social, and health education, strongly supporting pupils' personal development.

p.6

Grade: 2

Procedures for safeguarding pupils and supporting their personal development are outstanding and parents almost universally praise this aspect of their children's care. The core of pastoral care 'The Round Hill Way' is extremely accessible to pupils of all ages. Health and safety procedures are well established. Induction procedures are excellent and ease the entry for children starting in the Foundation Stage, and those arriving throughout the school year. Well organised transition links to secondary schools enable pupils to make wise decisions about their next move. Monitoring and guidance for pupils' individual academic achievement is good. Evidence gathered to check how well groups of pupils are achieving is not used well enough to target their needs.

p.6

Grade: 2

School leadership has created an environment in which pupils not only achieve well academically, but thrive in their personal development. The school's ethos very effectively encourages pupils to be keen and proud to contribute to the school's smooth running and the welfare of others. Leaders of the school see change as an opportunity to develop and they use it effectively to support school improvement and add more quality to the existing provision. For example, pupils are taught by specialist teachers during class teachers' planning and preparation time. The leadership provides many opportunities for staff to develop their professional skills. This process supports the good quality of education provided by the school and pupils' progress. 4 Inspection Report: Round Hill Primary School, 15 °16 January 2007 School self-evaluation is good and a wide range of views is taken into account when evaluating the school's strengths and weaknesses and in deciding on the appropriate

p.6

Grade: 2

course of action. The quality of the school improvement plan is good, but the means for judging the success of initiatives are not clearly identified. Leaders do not yet use assessment data fully to identify strengths and weaknesses in the attainment of different groups of pupils. Governors are very involved in monitoring and evaluating school effectiveness generally. They work alongside the senior leadership team very well, providing excellent levels of support and challenge. 5 Inspection Report: Round Hill Primary School, 15 °16 January 2007 .

p.7

Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Round Hill Primary School, 15 °16 January 2007

p.8

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.9

Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

p.9

Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.9

learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

p.9

and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Round Hill Primary School, 15 °16 January 2007

p.9

and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Round Hill Primary School, 15 °16 January 2007

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

16 January 2007 Dear Pupils Round Hill Primary School, Foster Avenue, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 1AE Thank you very much for welcoming us into your school. We were delighted by how polite and courteous you were towards us and we thought you upheld 'The Round Hill Way' very well. This is why pupils who come into your school half way through the year soon feel at home and begin to learn quickly. You are good learners and this shows in the good progress you make in lessons. We feel behaviour in and around school is excellent. The last inspection report identified problems with behaviour, it is clear that you and the teachers have really improved things. Well done! You go to a good school and value the many opportunities it provides for you to enjoy learning, not least through the excellent curriculum and extra curricular activities. Lessons are interesting and enjoyable and as one of you said, 'Lessons are so enjoyable we don't even know we are

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

learning.' Your headteacher, deputy headteacher and other teachers that support them in leading and managing the school go to great lengths to think of many ways to help you enjoy school. There are two things that they can now do to improve things even further. These are to: • Use the information they have on your progress to make sure that all of you with different needs are helped as much as possible. • Accurately judge how school improvements are helping you. You have been a great help in making the school successful by improving your behaviour and attitudes and contributing to the life in school. Keep up the good work. David Speakman Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Round Hill Primary School, 15 °16 January 2007

p.11