Redmile Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Redmile Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The executive headteacher of this school is Neil Bardsley. This school is part of Rise Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the interim chief executive officer, Dave Ellison-Lee, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Stephen Adshead.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, parents and carers agree that the school is kind and welcoming. The calm and purposeful atmosphere supports pupils to concentrate and learn. Pupils enjoy learning and playing ...together.

They are keen to help one another to practise their parts for the school pantomime on the playground. Parents know that they can approach adults in school if they have any worries. They know that staff will support their children both academically and socially.

The school lives up to the trust vision statement 'enabling children to flourish and succeed'.

The school is determined that all pupils will achieve highly. Teachers revisit learning regularly.

They make sure pupils remember what they need to know. Teachers take time to review what is working well and where improvements need to be made. For example, the school is currently reviewing how they teach writing.

Although pupils achieve well, the school wants them to do even better. The school's provisional results show that these expectations are realised.

Pupils know and live the school values of friendship, perseverance, forgiveness and respect.

If pupils do not follow the rules, they fill out a reflection sheet. This helps them to think about what they have done wrong and then alter their behaviour. They enjoy getting special friendship awards and merits.

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

The school makes sure that children develop their speaking and listening skills right from the start. Adults model the words they want pupils to use. They encourage pupils to use the same words in their responses.

For example, the youngest children talked about a circle having 'one long curved edge'. Throughout the school, pupils are supported to develop oracy skills. Teachers focus on specific vocabulary.

For example, pupils learn about the meaning of the words 'simmer' and 'boil' when making soup in a design technology lesson.

The school knows how important it is for pupils to understand the basics. In mathematics, the youngest children remember previous learning and use their fingers to show what 'one less' means.

Older pupils work in pairs to fully explore tens and ones. When pupils make mistakes, teachers notice these. Pupils are then given the opportunity they need to correct their mistakes.

No time is wasted in supporting children in Reception to learn the sounds they need to build words. Teachers spot when pupils fall behind and quickly give them support to catch up. Sometimes, pupils are not given the opportunity to practise what they have learned to secure the knowledge.

This means that they can be over reliant on adults and do not learn the sounds needed to become fluent readers as intended.

The school has realised that pupils do not always use their good knowledge of grammar in their writing. It has worked closely with the trust to review the writing curriculum.

This means that pupils are now learning about grammar, punctuation and spelling and applying these skills in their writing. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to teach pupils the skills they need. Pupils are then given the chance to work together and practise.

Pupils apply the skills they have learned in longer pieces of writing. Some pupils would benefit from additional practice at this stage to help them to do this independently.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported to learn the same curriculum as their peers.

Teachers make sure that adaptations are in place to enable pupils to access the curriculum. The school knows that if the right support is available for these pupils, this will help all of them to know and remember more.

Pupils enjoy coming to school and know the importance of attending every day.

They love attending Crew Club before and after school. Pupils enjoy the varied activities where they play and learn together. They work closely with the community, for example joining in the Viking Challenge to raise money for local charities and the school.

Pupils learn to respect differences when they study other faiths and cultures. They enjoy visiting places of worship. Pupils learn about democracy when they vote for the school council.

They enjoy joining with other pupils from the trust when they sing in the Rise Choir.

The trust and the diocese work together with local governors and school leaders to help them focus on the right areas to improve. Staff well-being is a priority for all leaders.

Staff benefit from feeling part of a school and trust team and know they are supported to do their job. They know there is someone to talk to if they need help.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and the appropriate authority)

• Some pupils who are at the early stages of reading and writing are not given sufficient opportunities to practise what they have learned to secure the knowledge. This means that they risk becoming over reliant on adults to help them. The school now needs to consider the provision available to support pupils to practise and independently use the skills they have learned so that they can apply them to more complex tasks.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2019.