Rockingham Junior and Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Warm and caring relationships exist between adults and pupils.

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This starts from Nursery, where children receive an excellent start to their educational journey.

Pupils are happy to come to school and feel safe.

Pupils have a good start to the day. They use the 'scale' to let staff know how they feel. If pupils feel unsettled or have a problem, they benefit from the support of well-trained staff and Willow, the school's therapy dog.

Leaders train 'pupil restorative practice leads' (RP reps) to support other pupils who may have frie...ndship issues. Pupils are happy to discuss issues with RP reps or teachers. As a result, friendship issues are quickly resolved and incidents of bullying are rare.

Pupils' behaviour in class and around school is good. Pupils are kind and courteous to visitors and each other. Pupils respond well to the rewards that they receive for displaying positive behaviours such as respect and trying their best.

There are a range of opportunities for pupils to develop as leaders. They are proud to be science ambassadors, head of houses and sports leaders. Their 'jobs' around school, such as writing the newsletter, give them a sense of responsibility.

Leaders carefully plan 'profound learning experiences' that engage pupils in rich learning opportunities beyond the classroom. These experiences enable pupils to apply what they have learned across the curriculum. For example, pupils visit a local theme park to put some of their learning from art, science and mathematics into practice when designing their own ride.

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

Leaders' vision and values permeate from trust level to every pupil who attends Rockingham Junior and Infant School. There is a relentless focus on improving standards, which has resulted in an ambitious and positive culture. Staff, pupils and leaders are all proud to be part of the school.

Staff feel valued and listened to. They trust leaders and know that they are mindful of their workload and well-being. They are supported to refine and define their practice and develop the curriculum.

As a result, pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum.

Plans in most subjects are well sequenced and set out the most important things that pupils need to know. However, this is not consistent in a small number of subjects, such as science.

Pupils have limited opportunities to practise what they have learned in previous years. Some pupils struggle to remember specific knowledge.Leaders inspire pupils to read.

Every opportunity is taken to promote the love of reading. Teachers carefully choose books to capture pupils' imagination and extend their understanding of the subjects they are learning. Books can be found everywhere, from the reading hut in the playground to immersive reading areas in classrooms.

Pupils love to take home suitcases filled with books, stimulating activities and treats that they can use with their families.

Staff receive regular training and support to deliver phonics lessons. Children in Reception enjoy learning new sounds.

Staff expertly teach trickier words to the youngest children. Teachers identify and support pupils who need extra help to read. However, pupils who struggle to read are unable to keep up in their phonics lessons.

They do not have the foundational knowledge to learn new words. Furthermore, they do not read books that match the sounds that they know. This hinders their progress.

Children in early years get off to an exceptional start at the beginning of the year. Routines are well established in a short space of time. Leaders carefully design the curriculum and activities to meet children's individual needs.

Children engage in a range of purposeful activities that sustain their interests for long periods of time. Teachers' checks on what children know enable staff to quickly identify children who may need extra help.

Leaders quickly identify pupils with SEND.

They work closely with parents to ensure that their children receive the right support, including specialist support. In the classroom, teachers adapt lessons so that they can achieve.

Pupils are knowledgeable about how to make positive choices, such as how to stay fit and healthy, develop healthy relationships, and keep themselves safe, including online.

Pupils have many opportunities to put this into practice through leadership roles and clubs, such as sports clubs and cookery clubs. Pupils learn about different faiths and fundamental British values. However, they are unable to describe the similarities and differences between different cultures and faiths.

Their understanding of democracy and rule of law is weak.

Trust leaders and local governors know the school well. The members of the local governing body challenge leaders effectively and know the strengths and priorities of the school, including its own areas of development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders carry out checks to ensure that staff are safe to work with children. They ensure that staff understand their responsibility to keep pupils safe.

There are clear and effective systems for reporting safeguarding concerns. Leaders analyse accident records to inform their practice and reduce further accidents in the future.

Staff check on pupils' emotional health and well-being and other risk factors on a regular basis.

In addition, pupils assess their own mental health and well-being. Leaders bring this information together through a 'record of achievement day' to identify pupils who may be at risk. Those pupils identified receive immediate support.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, such as science, while plans are sequenced so that they build on what pupils know within year groups, they do not consider what is being taught across the key stages. Leaders have not identified the core knowledge that pupils need to revisit from the previous years. As a result, pupils sometimes forget what they have learned.

Leaders need to identify core knowledge that needs to be regularly revisited and rehearsed over time. This will support pupils to remember long-term. ? Pupils who are at the early stages of reading access lessons that do not build on what they already know.

Pupils' progress is further hindered because the books that they read do not closely match their phonics knowledge. Pupils become disengaged quickly and struggle to keep up with their peers. Leaders need to ensure that pupils can access lessons that build on their phonics knowledge and that the books they read are phonically decodable.

This will enable all pupils to become confident and engaged readers. ? Pupils lack an understanding of fundamental British values and an awareness of different faiths and cultures. Leaders should ensure that pupils better understand the range of religions and fundamental British values so that they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.