Rodbourne Cheney Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

From Nursery to Year 6, pupils blossom at Rodbourne Cheney Primary School. Staff create an environment where all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), succeed. Pupils love their school.

They are proud to be part of the school 'family'. Pupils excel in the many opportunities to develop their learning beyond the classroom. For example, pupils sing in the choir, compete in the 'take one picture' project and celebrate International Women's Day.

This supports them to be well-rounded individuals with a broad view of the world.

As soon as children join Nursery, routines are established. Children get off to a great start.<...br/>
There is a strong focus on singing rhymes and listening to stories. In the early years, children learn how to take turns and share. This continues throughout all year groups.

Pupils are enthusiastic learners. They are conscientious and hard-working. This reflects the high-quality work they produce.

Pupils have many opportunities to develop leadership skills. In Year 6, all pupils have a role and responsibility either as a subject ambassador, head boy and girl, or as sports leaders. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school, describing it as 'fantastic' and would 'recommend it in a heartbeat'.

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

Leadership is outstanding. All staff share leaders' vision for excellence in pupils' academic, social and emotional success. There is a relentless drive to ensure that all pupils receive an outstanding education.

Pupils succeed in all areas of the curriculum.

Reading is a 'golden thread' that runs through every aspect of the curriculum. From the moment children join the Nursery, there is a strong focus on oracy.

Leaders have identified the nursery rhymes and stories that children will know and by when. This supports them to develop a love of reading and rhyme at an early stage. In pre-school, children start to learn about sounds and letters.

This prepares them well to learn phonics in Reception Year. As a result, pupils in key stage one are successful readers. Pupils talk articulately about their favourite books and stories.

Older pupils enjoy a broad range of classic and modern authors.

Pupils are keen to learn. They demonstrate excellent learning behaviours.

This supports them to be successful. In art, leaders aspire for pupils to be illustrators, graphic designers and architects. Pupils talk confidently about many different artists, including Lowry, Banksy and Georgia O'Keeffe.

Pupils learn to use a range of different media in art. For example, pupils use graphite on parchment to create cave paintings. Their sketch books show how pupils practise and develop this technique over a sequence of lessons, before producing a final piece of work.

In computing, pupils talk confidently about how to use code to create algorithms, the process of decomposition and the significance of variables. The curriculum supports all pupils, including those with SEND, to produce work of a high quality and develop a depth of understanding.

Over time, leaders have designed an ambitious and exciting curriculum.

Central to this, is a well-informed understanding of the school community. Leaders are aspirational for all pupils to succeed now and in the future. Through a rich personal, social and health education curriculum, pupils develop the same eagerness to thrive.

For example, pupils talk about becoming a mechanical engineer by completing an apprenticeship when they are older.

The well-being of pupils, staff and parents is a high priority for leaders. Staff comment on how leaders value and support them.

Pupils know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. For example, Swindon Town Football Club's coaches train pupils from across the school so that they can compete against other schools. Through the 'Junior Good Citizen' project, there is a strong focus on developing pupils' life skills and on how to cope in an emergency or dangerous situation.

This prepares pupils well for their future.

Pupils are polite and considerate. They allow each other to talk and share their ideas, listen attentively and respond appropriately.

Pupils have the opportunities to debate different topics and know the importance of tolerance and inclusion. They say that they are like 'one family'. They understand the school rules of 'be safe, be kind, be respectful' from early years onwards.

As a result, the environment is orderly and pupils feel safe.

Trustees and local governors hold leaders to account well. They gather the information they need, including first hand, which they use to ask challenging questions.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding.

They are knowledgeable about the contextual safeguarding issues in their locality and adapt the curriculum to address these. Leaders ensure that all staff receive training so they can recognise potential risks to pupils. Staff record concerns in a timely manner so that pupils and families receive the support they need, when they need it.

Leaders work effectively with external agencies where necessary.

The curriculum supports pupils to know how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Pupils know that adults will listen to them and give them the help they need, if they have any concerns.

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