Redgate Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school is friendly and inclusive. Leaders' vision for pupils to experience 'caring, sharing and learning together' is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils receive personalised, good-quality care and education.

Teachers create individual learning plans for pupils. Pupils work towards achieving appropriate targets. These targets are created from their education, health and care (EHC) plans.

Pupils enjoy their time in school. They relish the 'immersion' days. They access a broad range of subjects.

Pupils learn to work in an independent and collaborative way.

Staff get to know pupils very well. Pupils say that they feel safe here.

Staff p...rovide skilled support and nurture for pupils. There are trusting, positive relationships. Leaders work with external agencies and parents and carers to ensure support for pupils is effective.

Pupils develop their communication skills well, including through symbols and signing. From the early years, children learn to use suitable communication tools. Pupils can express their needs to adults.

They know adults they can go to when worried. Pupils learn how to manage and understand their emotions and behaviour. Consistent routines help to reduce pupils' anxiety.

Behaviour is generally good. Bullying is rare. Pupils say that staff sort out bullying or poor behaviour fairly and promptly.

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

Leaders have reviewed the curriculum. They have high expectations for pupils. They have developed three curriculum 'pathways' to meet pupils' complex needs.

Each pathway provides pupils with a range of ambitious learning opportunities and experiences.

Staff make learning meaningful. They help pupils to engage with learning.

Pupils make connections in their learning across subjects. In some subjects, such as mathematics, it is clear what teachers want pupils to learn. Pupils can practise and apply their knowledge as skills.

For example, pupils use their mathematical skills when cooking. In art, pupils use their knowledge of the work of the artist Bridget Riley to inspire their own compositions. Leaders are in the process of developing and ordering the content in some subjects, such as history and geography.

Leaders prioritise reading. Teachers promote reading for pleasure and to allow pupils to discover new information. They link texts to what pupils are learning.

The 'Redgate reading spine' ensures that pupils can enjoy a rich variety of texts. Children learn to read using phonics from the early years or as soon as they are ready to do so. The early years provision is rich with opportunities for children to develop their communication, language and reading skills.

Pupils who need more help with reading receive focused support. Teachers provide extra phonics sessions where needed.Staff have a secure understanding of pupils' additional needs.

They make sure that learning matches pupils' individual needs well. Staff have a thorough understanding of the personal and academic progress pupils make. They establish clear routines and expectations from the early years.

The provision considers pupils' often complex sensory requirements.

Pupils' personal development is a high priority. It is at the core of pupils' individual learning plans.

Pupils learn to understand the reasons for their behaviour. They learn to take responsibility for their actions. There is a strong focus on helping pupils to keep safe, develop independence and acquire life skills.

Teachers help pupils to develop their understanding of the wider world. The curriculum supports pupils' personal development well. Pupils learn about British values such as respect and democracy.

They access relationship, sex and health education, which is adapted to meet their needs. Pupils take on responsibilities as members of the school council. They learn the importance of living healthy lifestyles.

They relish their school lunches, which feature food from around the world.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, pupils took part in a range of activities, including visits to places of worship, sports events and residential adventure activities. Leaders have ensured that pupils continue to enjoy their 'forest school' activities and take part in visits to the local area.

Pupils recently enjoyed taking part in a table cricket competition with other schools at Nottingham University. Leaders are looking forward to broadening pupils' experiences again in the coming weeks and months.

Most staff feel well supported by leaders in their workload and well-being.

They value the 'family' of staff who work well together. They appreciate the support of the multi-academy trust for their professional development. Parents speak highly of the school.

A typical comment was, 'I can't thank the school enough for what they do on a daily basis for my child.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders provide staff with appropriate safeguarding training.

Staff understand the vulnerability of the pupils in their care. They watch for any changes in the behaviour of non-verbal pupils which may indicate safeguarding concerns. Leaders make sure that pupils learn how to communicate any worries they may have to staff.

Pupils learn about potential risks to their safety arising from bullying, knife crime and using the internet. They are taught how to manage these risks.

Governors ensure that safeguarding is a high priority for the school.

They hold leaders to account for the actions they take to follow up safeguarding concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) ? The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from leaders' actions that they are in the process of bringing this about.

For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. Leaders need to complete the process of reviewing the curriculum in all subjects within their identified timescale. In so doing, they should ensure that there is clarity in all subjects about what knowledge pupils should learn and when.