Redhill Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Redhill is a caring and nurturing school where pupils feel safe.

Pupils are respectful and tolerant of everyone. They make friends easily. Despite over 22 languages being spoken, pupils say, 'It does not matter what language you speak, we learn to communicate and we are all friends.'



Pupils are happy in school and their behaviour is excellent. Leaders ensure that pupils are taught how to behave from the moment they start school. Children from the Reception class and beyond learn how to be kind to each other and they are.

Pupils are enthusiastic learners. Low-level or off-task behaviour is very rare because pupils want to learn.

Leaders hav...e high aspirations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils rise to these expectations. They work hard and are proud of their achievements. This was evident in the way that pupils wanted to share their learning with inspectors.

Pupils relish the various roles and responsibilities that they are given. For example, digital leaders support teachers to educate other pupils about keeping safe online, while play leaders organise and run activities for other pupils at lunchtime.

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

Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum.

They have ensured that learning is mainly well sequenced and builds on what pupils already know. However, in a few subjects, leaders have not identified what they want pupils to learn precisely enough. This means that, while pupils remember what they have been taught, it is not always the knowledge or skills that leaders had intended.

Teachers usually present learning clearly and carefully check that pupils understand what they have learned. They use this information to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and quickly put effective support in place. Pupils enjoy learning and were keen to talk about the activities they were completing.

However, at times, teachers do not always choose the best activities to challenge pupils and help them to deepen their learning.

The school has a highly inclusive ethos. Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and are well supported both academically and pastorally.

Adaptations to learning are carefully planned and implemented. This enables pupils with SEND to be fully integrated into the classroom and school life. As a result, pupils with SEND thrive in this school.

Leaders ensure that children make a quick start when learning to read. The phonics scheme is well embedded and staff are well trained in the school's approach. Pupils read books that are matched to the sounds they know.

Those pupils who struggle to learn to read are quickly supported through targeted support. This helps pupils to grow into confident and enthusiastic readers.

Pupils have excellent manners and these are displayed to adults and pupils alike.

Behaviour expectations are taught explicitly to all pupils and are not just expected or presumed. This starts as soon as children start in early years. Pupils' attitudes are very positive.

Pupils behave well for themselves because they know that it is the right thing to do. These excellent attitudes and behaviours are the norm in school.

Pupils learn about other faiths, cultures and beliefs.

This helps pupils to develop an understanding of the world around them. British values are carefully taught through assemblies and personal, social, health and economic education lessons. Pupils are taught about different types of bullying and they know what to do if it were to occur.

Pupils say that discriminatory language is not tolerated in the school.

Pupils learn to keep physically and mentally healthy. They have opportunities to take part in a range of sporting activities and clubs.

These clubs are well attended, particularly by disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. Leaders ensure there are many opportunities for pupils to contribute to the life of the school and beyond. For example, pupils worked to develop planters in the local community.

Governors are proud to work with the school and the local community. They have had support from the school's improvement adviser to develop their understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Although this is improving, governors do not have a thorough understanding of their strategic role, including understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum.

Leaders and governors ensure that staff well-being and workload are given a high priority. Staff feel well supported by leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school because leaders make safeguarding a priority. Staff have regular training so that they keep up to date with the most current guidance. All staff are trained in identifying pupils who may be at risk of harm.

They know and follow the school's procedures to ensure that concerns are identified quickly. Leaders work closely with external agencies to get families the support they need, for example to access housing, social care and other charities.

Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe, including when online and in the local area.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few foundation subjects, it is not clear precisely what knowledge pupils should be taught. This means that pupils do not always learn the knowledge and skills that leaders intend. Leaders should identify the precise knowledge and skills that pupils must learn, from Reception to Year 6, in these subjects.

• Some of the activities that teachers choose do not always support pupils to deepen their learning. This means that pupils do not always gain sufficient insight into some aspects of their academic work. Leaders need to ensure that staff deliver activities that help pupils to learn in sufficient depth.

• Governors do not have a strategic enough role in monitoring leaders' actions to improve the quality of the education across the school. As a result, governors do not have a sufficiently clear understanding of what is working well and what could improve, in respect of the curriculum. Governors need to ensure that they develop their strategic understanding and effectively monitor the impact of leaders' actions on school improvement.