Reignhead Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school's work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

A strong sense of belonging is at the heart of the school's strongly held values. The school wants every pupil to feel part of a warm, caring and nurturing school community. This positive culture helps pupils to feel happy and safe.

Pupils respond well to the school's well-established routines. They move around the school calmly and sensibly. Pupils demonstrate high levels of courtesy and respect.

They are curio...us and polite when interacting with visitors. Children in the early years play and learn together cooperatively. These children demonstrate very positive attitudes to school.

The school is ambitious for all its pupils and has high expectations for what they can achieve. However, these expectations are not yet fully realised. This is reflected in the relatively low outcomes that pupils received in national tests in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 in 2024.

The school is nevertheless deeply committed to ensuring the best possible outcomes for pupils.

Older pupils appreciate the opportunities they have to take on leadership roles such as house captains and reading ambassadors. These roles prepare them well for responsibilities in later life.

The school provides a range of extra-curricular activities that develop pupils' wider interests. For example, pupils can attend choir, gardening club and a number of sporting clubs. Additionally, every pupil benefits from the opportunity to learn a brass instrument in Year 5.

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

The school has rightly identified its priorities for improving the quality of education. A broad and ambitious curriculum has been introduced, structured effectively from early years to Year 6. However, strategies to identify and address pupils' misconceptions are not consistently achieving the desired impact, allowing misconceptions to persist.

As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. Over time, pupils do not achieve well enough in the important subjects of reading, writing and mathematics. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils.

The school is placing an increasingly high priority on reading. Positive attitudes to reading start with the youngest children. Books are celebrated and enjoyed.

In early years, adults share favourite books with children. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read experience daily phonics sessions. These sessions follow a systematic sequence that ensures pupils develop their knowledge of phonics well over time.

Teachers are well-trained and teach phonics consistently well. Where pupils fall behind with their reading, they are identified and supported to keep up. Pupils are becoming more fluent readers because of the strengths in the teaching of phonics and reading.

This positive start in reading is not thoroughly sustained at key stage 2. The school is improving pupils' fluency in mathematics. This can be seen in improving outcomes in the multiplication tables check.

Systems to support pupils' writing are less securely embedded. Many pupils do not develop fluent handwriting. Some pupils do not form their letters correctly and many do not develop a joined script by the end of their time in school.

Children in Nursery and the Reception Year make an excellent start to their time in school. They benefit from a carefully designed curriculum that prepares them well for their next stages. They show joy and enthusiasm in their school experiences.

Adults interact with children in purposeful ways, developing and extending the children's vocabulary and language development. Engaging activities ensure that children are interested and support their development in all aspects of learning.

Teachers make helpful adaptations to the curriculum to support pupils with SEND.

For example, the designated specialist provision, called 'The Silver Base', provides a nurturing environment. Pupils there benefit from bespoke support for their social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. Although there are improvements in aspects of learning for pupils with SEND, they are not achieving well enough over time.

Pupils behave well in lessons and at less structured times. At playtimes, pupils play cooperatively. Adults support pupils well with physical activities.

For example, pupils are supported to time and record their shuttle-runs. On occasions when pupils exhibit more challenging behaviour, they are well supported by trained adults.

Pupils understand how to keep themselves healthy, both physically and mentally.

They also know how to keep themselves safe when online. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures and understand the importance of not discriminating against others based on protected characteristics such as disability, race, gender and sexuality. However, the curriculum is less successful in deepening pupils' understanding of some aspects of other fundamental British values, such as individual liberty and tolerance.

The school's leadership and governance arrangements are relatively new. Nevertheless, leaders are firmly committed to continued improvements. They have correctly identified and prioritised key aspects of the school's work that require attention to address weaknesses.

Staff well-being and workload are considered before changes are introduced. Governors, many of whom are new to role, understand their responsibilities extremely well. They have an accurate understanding of the school's work.

They provide effective challenge and support leaders well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Over time, the school has not enabled pupils to achieve well enough in reading, writing, and mathematics.

This includes pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged. As a result, some pupils are not fully prepared for the next stage of education. The school must continue to develop consistent and effective pedagogical approaches across all areas of the curriculum, maintaining a strong focus on pupils' achievement in these important areas.

• There is variation in how well pupils are taught to form letters and improve their handwriting. This affects pupils' ability to write fluently. The school should ensure that pupils form letters correctly and develop fluency in writing so they are able to express their ideas clearly and effectively.

• Strategies to identify and address pupils' misconceptions are not consistently achieving the desired impact, allowing some misconceptions to persist. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that pupils' misconceptions are identified and addressed consistently well, enabling their knowledge to deepen over time.

• The curriculum does not deepen pupils' understanding of some of the fundamental British values as well as others. This means they may be less well prepared for life in modern Britain than they could be. The school should ensure that pupils learn equally well about the full range of fundamental British values to better equip them for their next steps.

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 January 2020.