Radcliffe Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and children in early years are happy at Radcliffe Primary School. They enjoy coming to school, where they are greeted by their teachers with a welcoming smile.

Children settle in well in the Nursery and Reception classes as staff take steps to get to know the children and their interests quickly.

Leaders and staff expect pupils to work hard. Pupils apply themselves in lessons and are proud of their achievements.

They enjoy sharing successes with parents and carers through the online system used in school. Leaders have introduced a number of ways to increase attendance and pupils come to school ready to learn.

Behaviour is good, both in lesson...s and at playtimes.

When problems arise, the pupils know that adults will sort them out. Pupils feel safe and know that adults will listen to them. If bullying happens, pupils say that adults will make sure it stops quickly.

Pupils enjoy the clubs and activities provided by the school. They value trips to the pantomime, a local castle and the science museum. Pupils are proud to have taken part in local sports competitions.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school and the care and support the staff give their children.

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

Leaders have designed a highly ambitious curriculum which ensures that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children in the early years, enjoy their learning. Subjects are ordered logically to help pupils build their knowledge over time.

Leaders have worked hard to ensure that pupils are given plenty of opportunities to revisit prior learning. This helps pupils remember and link their learning from previous years. Visits and experiences are a key part of the curriculum design.

Pupils say this makes their learning more fun. In a small number of subjects, leaders are working to ensure that teachers' subject knowledge supports the ambitious curriculum.

Behaviour is good throughout school.

Children in early years are taught how to share and play kindly with each other. They are polite and respectful, listening intently to their teachers and other pupils. Pupils know and understand how the school rules of 'Be ready, be respectful and be safe' help them to behave well at all times.

Staff use the behaviour policy consistently to guide pupils to make the right choices when needed. Pupils feel safe and explain that their teachers take the time to listen to them carefully. Adults make sure pupils understand how to put things right if problems occur.

Leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading. In the early years, children learn the rhymes and songs from the Nursery Year. As they move into the Reception Year, children receive high-quality phonics teaching from well-trained and motivated staff.

Leaders keep a close check on how well children and pupils are progressing and make adjustments swiftly if any need extra help to keep up. Leaders have begun work to ensure that children and pupils are immersed in a range of texts to encourage a love of reading. This is evident in some classes, but less so for older pupils.

Pupils with SEND are identified early. A broad range of interventions is woven throughout the school day to support pupils to catch up with their peers. Tight monitoring ensures that pupils achieve well from their individual starting points.

Leaders have thought carefully about the needs of the children as they start school. They have prioritised work in specific areas to make sure that children are ready to access the full curriculum when they enter Year 1.

Pupils value the responsibilities they can have in school, such as being school councillors and play leaders.

However, leaders recognise that pupils need a broader set of experiences to help them fully understand their part in the wider community and how to become responsible citizens in modern Britain.

Staff are proud to work at this school. They feel valued by leaders, trustees and governors and although they work hard, they know that leaders do everything they can to support them.

Governors and trustees are well informed about work in the school. This helps them to both support and challenge the leaders appropriately.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have prioritised pastoral care in the school. Pupils and parents appreciate the work the staff do to make every child feel welcome and cared for in school. Parents trust the school leaders and turn to them for support.

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding across school. Staff are clear about their responsibilities for keeping pupils safe. They understand the risks pupils face.

Staff know the pupils well and notice when something is wrong. There are robust systems in place and a team approach ensures that leaders are providing the right support for each family. Leaders have worked with a wide range of outside agencies to support pupils when necessary.

Pupils are taught to keep themselves safe. This includes being safe online and in the outside world. They know how to be healthy and have a good understanding of healthy relationships.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not ensured that pupils and children in early years have a full range of experiences to learn about wider opportunities and life in modern Britain. As a result, some pupils have a limited understanding of the wider world. Leaders should ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to benefit from a rich set of experiences that broaden their horizons and help them to become responsible and active citizens.

• Leaders have not ensured that some older pupils are exposed to a broad enough range of high-quality texts that they can read and listen to for pleasure. This means that some pupils do not read widely enough. Leaders should ensure that all pupils can access texts from a wide range of genres and authors to support the cultivation of a real love of reading across the school.

Also at this postcode