Red Hall Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Red Hall Primary School is a warm, inclusive and welcoming place to learn in.

Pupils enjoy coming to school and speak of it with pride. They contribute keenly to their school and the wider community. There are high expectations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils respond to these expectations by working hard and behaving well both in lessons and on the playground.

Pupils are happy and feel safe in school. They have good relationships with staff and each other.

Pupils know that if they have any problems, staff will sort things out for them. They say, 'There is always someone who can help u...s when we need it.'

Pupils understand about their rights and their responsibilities to each other and to others in their community.

They know that everyone is equal. Staff encourage pupils to reflect on their own beliefs and to respect the beliefs of others. Pupils do this well.

The school has embedded values of 'caring, respect, equality, aspiring, trust and enjoyment'. They are the golden thread running through everything leaders, staff and pupils do.

Parents are very supportive of the school.

They have lots of positive things to say about the quality of leadership, care and education on offer.

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

The school is fully committed to improving many aspects of its work so pupils have the best chances in education. In many areas there have been great improvements.

However, pupils do not achieve equally as well in all subjects. This is because, in some subjects, the curriculum design does not specify the small steps of knowledge pupils need to know and remember. Important content is not always adequately sequenced and broken down into small steps.

Consequently, for some subjects, teachers are not able to check how well pupils are learning all that they need to know.

Reading is prioritised. Pupils read fluently and with confidence.

Books are carefully chosen for pupils to become fluent in applying the sounds they know to words on a page. For pupils who struggle to keep up, catch-up sessions allow them to revisit new and old letter sounds to help them become secure. This is successful.

Pupils are very proud of their school and show a keenness to learn. This is evident in the excellent behaviour seen in lessons. Pupils listen well to their teachers and show a determination to work as hard as they can.

Pupils with SEND are supported well. The school wastes no time in identifying the extra help these pupils need to enable them to be successful. The nurture and care for these pupils is impressive.

The school understands that there are still too many pupils who do not attend school as regularly as they might. However, staff with responsibility for improving attendance work tirelessly to support these families. In many cases, this work has had great success in reducing the number of days some pupils miss from school.

The school places great emphasis on pupils' personal development. Popular after-school clubs, such as a variety of sports, games, art, dance, karate and archery, add to pupils' enjoyment. Visits and visitors also enrich the curriculum and extend pupils' knowledge.

Pupils learn about different religions and cultures through the curriculum. This helps prepare them for life in modern Britain. Lessons in personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education ensure that pupils understand the importance of healthy lifestyles and relationships.

Pupils develop their social skills by taking on responsibilities, such as being school councillors and well-being ambassadors. They also act as subject ambassadors in a range of subject areas. Science and mathematics sheds are accessible for pupils to take advantage of at playtimes.

Subject ambassadors develop leadership skills by running these and by helping to organise them.

Children get off to a good start in the early years. Curriculum design here has identified clear sequences of learning that allow children to deepen and apply their understanding.

However, correct letter formation is not developed well enough here and as children progress through the school. This hinders the development of pupils' handwriting.

Governors understand their responsibilities and are passionate about the work of the school.

They visit school regularly and know what is going well and what still needs to improve. Staff report that they feel well supported by leaders. They know that leaders care about their well-being and do all they can to manage their workload.

This is a very supportive school team that works together for the best outcomes for all the pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in every subject.

In some subjects, the curriculum does not set out the precise content that pupils are expected to know and remember. This means that staff do not check if pupils have retained the most important knowledge for future learning. The school should ensure that the curriculum sets out precisely what pupils should know, and when, in all subjects.

• Some subject leaders do not fully understand the importance of the small steps of progress needed through the curriculum to secure long-term success. This means that the design of some curriculum subjects is not having the positive impact on learning that the school might like. The school should ensure that all subject leaders have adequate training and support to be as effective in their role as possible.

• Pupils across the school have not developed clear and well-developed handwriting. This affects their presentation across a range of subjects. The school should ensure that pupils develop clear and consistent handwriting, starting with correct letter formation in the early years.