Robsack Wood Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school. They feel safe and are eager to learn.

Pupils play enthusiastically at social times when there is always plenty to interest them. For example, some pupils do jigsaws, read, or play basketball in the playground.

Teachers have high expectations of pupils.

Pupils are expected to behave well and almost all do. Those pupils who need reminders or help to follow teachers' expectations benefit from thoughtful support from staff.

Pupils cooperate well together in lessons and around school.

Occasionally, pupils have disagreements and adults help them to remedy their differences. Staff provide coaching for pupils who need to... discuss disagreements that have happened. Bullying sometimes happens but pupils feel that staff deal with it effectively and quickly.

When pupils are worried about something they write notes in the 'worry box' or the 'ask it basket' in their classrooms. Teachers then give advice on issues that pupils are worried about. Pupils are enthusiastic about contributing to school life.

Some are voted onto the school 'parliament' by their peers. Others become librarians or apply to become 'prime minister' so that they can represent other pupils' views. The 'prime minister' can also spend the small budget that leaders allocate to them on extra resources for the playground.

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

Leaders, governors and trustees have strong moral purpose. They are passionate about providing high-quality education for all pupils and particularly for vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils. Leaders prioritise improving reading, encouraging high attendance and looking after pupil and staff well-being.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to leaders' priorities for improvement. However, leaders' plans are now back on track.

Pupils learn a wide range of subjects.

In reading, mathematics and science, leaders have organised learning very well. Teachers know what to teach and when to teach it. They are also clear about what pupils should know at the end of each term.

Pupils achieve well in these subjects. However, the curriculum is not as well organised in other subjects. For example, in languages and music recent changes to the curriculum have not been thoroughly embedded.

In these subjects, therefore, pupils do not learn as much as they could.

Phonics is taught as soon as pupils start school. Staff are well trained to teach phonics effectively.

In early years, children begin to learn how to use phonics to read words with confidence. This ensures that children are well prepared to start Year 1. Pupils read with increasing fluency as they move through Year 1.

The books pupils read are well matched to the sounds they know. Pupils develop a love of reading and become increasingly interested in stories and books as they get older.Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to help pupils to understand increasingly complex material.

Teachers check pupils' understanding accurately. In early years, children gain a solid grounding. For example, adults use well-thought-through explanations and rich language to ensure that children understand how to remember basic numbers and add them together to make larger numbers.

Leaders identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. Teachers appropriately adapt the curriculum for these pupils, and staff provide carefully designed support. Leaders ensure that those pupils with SEND who require more specialist help have access to external professionals.

This ensures that staff meet the needs of pupils with SEND well.

Provision for pupils' personal development is effective. Pupils are enthused by the various incentives on offer to them at school.

For example, pupils who are recognised as being positive role models to others are awarded certificates at the end of term in 'celebration' assemblies.

Personal, social and health education helps pupils to discuss and understand a wide range of relevant issues. For example, pupils explore healthy relationships and appropriate behaviour within relationships in an age-appropriate way.

Pupils are informed about what constitutes harassment and the types of behaviour that are unacceptable online. Pupils are prepared successfully for life in modern Britain.

Staff feel valued.

They think that leaders are approachable and supportive. Staff appreciate the high-quality training provided for them. Staff find opportunities to work with colleagues from other schools in the trust very useful.

Leaders ensure that staff feel that they have a healthy work-life balance.

Trustees and governors hold leaders to account well. They check on how well the key priorities of the school are making a difference to pupils' education.

This has helped steady the school through the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is taken very seriously by all staff.

They know pupils and families well. Staff are vigilant in looking out for signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. Leaders ensure that staff know how to report concerns they may have about pupils.

Detailed records are kept of any reports made about pupils. Leaders take appropriate and prompt action if safeguarding concerns need to be referred to external agencies. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe and what to do if they encounter things that worry them online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In subjects other than reading, mathematics and science, leaders have not organised learning effectively enough. For example, in music and languages leaders have not selected and sequenced the knowledge that pupils should learn sufficiently well. In some areas of the curriculum, pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

However, leaders are in the process of putting improvements in place in these subjects. Leaders must ensure that they continue their work on ensuring that learning is organised well across the curriculum. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.

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