Radford Semele CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Radford Semele CofE Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils. Staff and pupils live out the school values of respect, perseverance, responsibility, creativity, forgiveness and generosity.

By the end of Year 6, pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils are ready for the next stage in their education.

Staff have high expectations for how pupils should behave.

The school rules of 'respect, ready, kind' are known and followed by everyone. Pupils are respectful and caring. They listen and concentrate well ...in lessons.

Recent changes to lunchtimes have ensured pupils are ready and fully focused to learn in the afternoon. Pupils feel happy and safe.

The curriculum is brought to life through lots of carefully planned enrichment opportunities.

These include visits to a local space centre as part of a science topic and to Coventry Cathedral to learn about local history. Pupils take part in inclusive extra-curricular activities, for example football, choir and dance. They learn to play musical instruments such as the ukulele, guitar and drums.

Pupils' resilience is well developed. For example, in Year 4, pupils take part in an outdoor activity residential where they participate in activities such as canoeing. In Year 6, pupils attend a residential visit to London.

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

The curriculum is well thought through. Essential knowledge and vocabulary are set out for each subject. In most subjects, the curriculum is taught effectively.

However, in a few subjects, the school does not ensure that staff have sufficient depth of subject knowledge and expertise to teach the subject as well as they do other subjects. Where this happens, pupils do not consistently achieve as highly as they could.

The school has recently implemented new ways to check pupils' learning for some subjects.

Pupils are given the opportunity to revisit what they have learned. This is at the early stage of implementation. It is not consistent across all subjects.

As a result, some pupils do not remember important knowledge in a few subjects. Gaps in their learning affect how well they achieve.

Reading is prioritised.

Staff have the necessary expertise to teach phonics effectively. The school recently identified it needed a more comprehensive approach to checking how well pupils learn phonics. Checks on pupils' learning in phonics have improved.

Pupils' phonics knowledge is carefully monitored. Gaps in pupils' learning are swiftly identified, and the school have recently introduced extra phonics lessons for these pupils. This is having a positive impact.

Pupils become confident, fluent readers.

By the end of Year 6, pupils achieve high standards in writing. Despite this, sometimes the writing curriculum is not taught as leaders intend it to be.

Occasionally, in lessons, the focus on developing writing skills becomes confused with pupils learning knowledge from other subjects. This means some pupils do not learn to write at an age-appropriate standard as quickly as they could.

Children get off to a positive start in the early years.

They have lots of opportunities to play and learn. They enjoy learning through well-planned activities. Staff have the necessary expertise to deliver the curriculum.

They prioritise children's personal, social and emotional development. Whether through free writing, role-play in the home corner or using apparatus outside the classroom, children learn to be curious, resilient and sociable. Staff engage meaningfully and purposefully with children.

Routines are well established. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

The school is ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to achieve well.

The school identifies pupils with SEND quickly. Plans to support their learning are clear, and staff use them well. Staff are knowledgeable and effectively support pupils with SEND.

Pupils learn about fundamental British values. They understand what democracy means and how voting for school councillors using a democratic process is fair. Pupils understand the importance of laws.

They respect the beliefs and opinions of others.

The school values active citizenship. Pupils are encouraged to help others in their local community and beyond.

They organise fundraising opportunities for charities and a local food bank. Pupils' sense of responsibility is secured through the many leadership roles available. These include becoming a school councillor, eco-committee member and a prefect.

Pupils in Year 6 lead teams of younger pupils. This has a positive impact on relationships across school.

Governors know their roles and responsibilities.

They support and challenge the work of the school effectively. Staff report that their well-being is very well supported, and their workload is managed appropriately.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the school does not ensure that staff have the level of expertise and subject knowledge they need to deliver lessons as effectively as they do in other subjects. This can mean that in some subjects, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that all staff have the knowledge and skills they need to teach the whole curriculum equally well.

• In a few subjects, teachers do not identify and address gaps in pupils' learning well enough. This affects how well pupils remember their learning. The school should make sure the recently revised assessment methods are implemented consistently across subjects so gaps in pupils' learning can be identified and addressed.

• The writing curriculum is not as clearly and consistently taught as the school intends. This means some pupils do not learn to write at an age-appropriate standard as quickly as they could. The school should ensure that the writing curriculum is delivered clearly and consistently across all classes so it meets the aims of what pupils should know at each stage.

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.

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.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2015.

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