Roecroft Lower School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Roecroft Lower School are happy and friendly to each other.

In early years, children learn the expectations and routines that make them kind and helpful. As they grow older, pupils continue to behave well. This is because they receive clear reminders about behaviour linked to the school values.

Pupils benefit from the nurturing culture that leaders have developed. Pupils show respect for one another and for their teachers. Bullying rarely happens, but pupils say adults always deal with it, when it does.

Resolving pupils' concerns means pupils are safe.

Pupils are keen to share what they know. However, pupils, particularly those with special... educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are not learning as best they could.

Though they receive support, it is not organised well enough to help them to make the progress they are capable of.

Through the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum, pupils are taught to reflect on and debate topical and sensitive issues. Pupils show a maturity about these important issues.

They understand themes such as taking responsibility for their actions.

Pupils benefit from the range of extra-curricular experiences, such as music lessons, inter-house competitions and residential trips. These help pupils build their wider understanding of the world around them.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum which focuses on the development of pupils' use of subject-specific vocabulary. Leaders support teachers so they have strong subject knowledge. Subject leaders have mapped out the knowledge they want pupils to know over time for most subjects.

Where this is not the case, teachers have too much flexibility in what they teach. This leads to variation in the effectiveness of the curriculum.

Teachers usually check what pupils know, but pupils are not given enough opportunities to review previous learning.

Consequently, there is variation in what pupils remember. Pupils who are disadvantaged have extra teaching sessions to introduce new topics, but this does not happen every term. Pupils cannot always talk or write confidently about their learning.

This is particularly the case for pupils with SEND and those who find reading and writing difficult.

The reading curriculum details the skills and knowledge that pupils need to be taught. Most staff have been trained to teach the phonics programme, and do so well.

Pupils who are not able to read confidently are correctly identified. They receive additional support, but this is not planned or delivered in a systematic way. Consequently, pupils are not catching up as quickly as they might.

Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND receive the social and emotional support they need to take an active part in school life. However, individual targets for some pupils with SEND are not specific enough. Teaching is not always adapted to meet pupils' individual needs.

As a result, these pupils do not remember the key learning that they need, and they do not achieve well.

Children in the early years make positive relationships and are ready to learn. They participate well in all aspects of the curriculum.

The curriculum is well designed and delivered. Children are confident in their early reading knowledge and skills. They achieve well from the start of the Reception Year.

Staff ensure that children learn new vocabulary and concepts related to children's needs and interests alongside the knowledge they need to be ready for Year 1.

Pupils behave well. There is a calm atmosphere throughout the school.

Pupils have positive relationships. Staff use consistent strategies that focus on positive reinforcement linked to the school's values. There are few recorded incidents of negative behaviours.

Leaders do not systematically check for patterns in behaviour or link these to other concerns they have about pupils.

Pupils take on roles and responsibilities such as being subject ambassadors and house captains. These promote leadership and being positive role models.

Pupils are proud to take on these jobs. Leaders offer a wide range of opportunities for pupils to experience in addition to the daily curriculum, such as choir, art and science clubs.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support from leaders regarding their workload and well-being.

Staff value the training they have received.

The governing body has not met all its statutory duties. Leaders did not consult on the relationships education policy with parents.

There are not adequate checks in place to hold leaders to account. Governors do not receive detailed information about patterns of behaviour or attendance for the most vulnerable pupils. Consequently, they do not challenge leaders about these areas.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have provided training for staff so they know how and what to report if they are concerned a child might be at risk of harm. However, leaders do not always check that follow-up meetings and incidents are accurately recorded.

Although pupils are safe, leaders do not have a systematic way of coordinating information about behaviour and attendance that may link to safeguarding. Consequently, leaders do not have adequate assurances that information about vulnerable pupils is used in the timeliest of ways.

Pupils are taught about keeping safe online and in the community.

They have opportunities to discuss these topics in their PSHE lessons.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) ? Strategies for leaders, including governors, to monitor the school's work lack attention to detail. This means they are not quick to identify patterns and resolve issues, such as how attendance and behaviour concerns help build a bigger picture around safeguarding.

Leaders should develop a comprehensive system that enables them to analyse information efficiently, so they may swiftly resolve potential issues. ? Leaders have not planned the learning precisely enough in all areas of the curriculum. This means that, in a few areas, teachers deliver the curriculum less effectively, and pupils do not develop what they know as well as they might.

Leaders should identify and sequence the key knowledge pupils must learn in all areas of the curriculum so that pupils build up a rich body of knowledge. ? Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to recall and build upon their previous learning. Leaders need to develop shared strategies for pupils to recall and apply new vocabulary and knowledge.

Leaders should train staff to use these well to secure all pupils' understanding of the curriculum. ? The additional support for pupils with SEND and pupils who find reading and writing difficult is too varied, both in its frequency and quality. Consequently, it is not helping those pupils to catch up quickly.

Leaders should train staff to put in place consistent support that focuses tightly on what a pupil needs to learn next to help them access the curriculum. ? The governing body has not ensured leaders are meeting all statutory requirements. Governors must undertake training to ensure they understand all their statutory roles and responsibilities to be able to hold leaders to account, paying particular regard to safeguarding and the quality of education.

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