Rainbow Primary Leadership Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Rainbow Primary Leadership Academy continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

All members of this school community feel part of the 'Rainbow family.' Pupils understand the school STAR values of service, teamwork, ambition and respect.

Pupils feel safe. If they have any worries, they have the confidence to tell an adult who will help. Bullying rarely happens but, when it does, adults deal with it effectively.

Pupils are polite, respectful and considerate to others. They look for opportunities to carry out small acts of service. For example, holding doors open for others and helping their peers during lessons.

Staff consistently apply the ...behaviour policy. They praise positive behaviours that pupils demonstrate. Pupils learn the important things to help them behave.

For example, staff say, 'line up to show up' and 'tidy hands'. All pupils understand what these mean. As a result, behaviour is calm and orderly.

Parents are positive about the school.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils. Their work has a positive impact on the experiences of pupils.

The significant number of pupils who have come to the school after the start of the school year is a challenge for leaders. However, they face this challenge with enthusiasm and make sure that new starters are warmly welcomed and supported to be successful.

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

Leaders are ambitious about the curriculum that they want pupils to learn.

The curriculum has been developed significantly over the last year. Teachers deliver the curriculum in a consistent way. Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

In lessons, they adapt their teaching based on what pupils say and what pupils need more help with. There are systems in place to check what pupils know. Teachers give pupils regular opportunities to recall what they have learned earlier in lessons or in lessons which have come before.

However, in some subjects such as history, the precise knowledge leaders want pupils to learn is not clearly defined.Leaders have prioritised reading for all pupils. Pupils have many different opportunities to read a range of books.

Pupils enjoy reciting poems fluently. All pupils have the opportunity to learn a class poem. Staff receive training that supports them to deliver their phonics programme with consistency and precision.

Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. Pupils receive extra sessions if they need support, which help them to catch up quickly. Leaders check how well pupils who are new to the school can read.

If needed, they are given support. As a result, pupils can read fluently and enjoy reading. As one pupil said, 'Reading is important in this school'.

Leaders have thought carefully about how they can give pupils rich, wider experiences in school. Pupils develop strong characters because of what they are taught and the role models they are surrounded by. Pupils learn about how they can live the school values in their own lives through STAR assemblies.

Staff model these values to pupils. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have opportunities to contribute to their school and community by applying for and working in leadership roles, such as litter pickers, school council, reading buddies and playground buddies. Pupils regularly represent the school at sporting competitions and have access to a range of clubs and activities that take place after school.

Leaders have ensured that all pupils, including the most vulnerable, have access to these clubs.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils with SEND. Leaders set clear targets and provide support which help pupils to learn.

Leaders regularly check that pupils with SEND are making progress and that the support they are getting is matched to their needs. Teachers adapt their teaching to support all pupils, including those with SEND, to achieve.

Pupils in Reception get a good start to their education.

The phonics curriculum is taught well to help them read with fluency as quickly as possible. The mathematics curriculum gives pupils a good start in understanding numbers.

Leaders at all levels support staff well.

There have been significant changes since July 2021, but these changes have been managed carefully. Staff say that being part of the trust is having a positive effect on pupils' experience in school and helps with staff workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in school. Staff understand how the context of the school affects their work. There are clear systems in place for recording any safeguarding concerns and these are followed up effectively.

Leaders make sure that pupils and families get the help they need. They use external agencies to support pupils when necessary.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe online.

Visitors such as the police and road safety experts give pupils additional knowledge about how to keep safe. For example, pupils learn about knife crime and gangs and how to manage situations.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects such as history, the precise knowledge leaders want pupils to know is not clear.

There are some inconsistencies in how pupils build their knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that the precise knowledge they wish pupils to learn in all subjects is clearly defined.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Rainbow Primary School, to be good in February 2013.