Romiley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Romiley Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending the school.

They appreciate the range of clubs and other activities available to them, including French, pottery and chess. They like the varied activities available at playtime, such as team games. Older pupils enjoy organising games for younger pupils.

Leaders and staff have high expectations for all pupils. Pupils talk confidently and enthusiastically about their learning. They are proud to share their work, including that in their books.

Parents and carers particularly like the community feel of the school. They describe the school as caring and ...appreciate the approachability of staff.

The pupils that I spoke with told me that they feel safe and that staff care for them well.

They said that there is no bullying and behaviour is mostly good. Pupils and parents have confidence in the staff to sort out the rare problems that do occur.

Pupils told me that the best things about the school are the teachers, their friends and the wide range of different subjects that they study.

Pupils show polite manners and respect for others. This contributes to their positive relationships with staff and the calm environment throughout the school.

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

The headteacher leads and manages the work of the school well.

Staff appreciate the headteacher's consideration for their work-life balance and that they have a reasonable workload. Newly qualified teachers and other staff new to the school quickly feel part of the team.

The planned curriculum is ambitious for what pupils will achieve.

Leaders and staff organise lessons well, so that pupils can build on their previous knowledge. Leaders make clear what they expect pupils to learn by the end of each year. In science, pupils have a well-developed understanding of experiments.

Some pupils gave clear explanations of what they had learned about the circulatory system after dissecting a pig's heart. Subject leaders contribute positively to improving an already strong curriculum. Even so, not all leaders fully check the quality of pupils' work in their subjects.

Pupils' attainment in reading over the past three years has been significantly above national average at key stages 1 and 2 and in the Year 1 phonics screening check. The reading curriculum for current pupils is effective. Children in the early years gain the phonics knowledge that they need to become successful early readers.

Pupils, for instance in key stage 1, can read simple texts accurately because they know the sounds that letters make. Pupils in key stage 2 develop their reading skills strongly. They read with fluency, expression and enthusiasm.

Leaders and staff check on pupils' learning carefully. Staff support children and pupils well to catch up if they fall behind.

The curriculum for teaching writing helps pupils to write with meaning and expression.

Teachers plan learning that builds on pupils' secure knowledge of grammar. Teachers help pupils to develop a wide range of appropriate vocabulary. This is particularly true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

However, some pupils, particularly in key stage 2, do not remember spelling patterns well or use this knowledge successfully enough in their wider work.

Children get off to a strong start to their education in the early years. Leaders and staff use assessment well to identify any gaps in children's knowledge and understanding.

They use this information to shape the curriculum so that it meets children's needs and interests. Staff make sure that provision helps children to develop across all areas of learning. Children are ready for the move into Year 1.

Teachers and other staff skilfully support pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. They find the advice from the leader responsible for SEND especially useful. The well-developed curriculum at the school helps these pupils to succeed.

Pupils behave well in class, with little time lost due to disruption. Their movement around the school is calm. Their behaviour shows respect for other classes who are studying.

Leaders and staff provide pupils with a range of worthwhile opportunities to strengthen their personal development. For instance, pupils enjoy supporting other pupils as members of the school council or as play leaders. Older pupils talked enthusiastically about their improved understanding of equality and diversity.

A typical pupil comment was: 'Just because you look different or have a different religion, doesn't mean you are not kind.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff complete a wide range of safeguarding training.

Staff know the pupils well. Staff know how to spot any early signs that pupils may be at risk. Leaders and staff understand and follow the school's clear procedures to keep pupils safe.

Leaders have good relationships with health and social care professionals in support of individual pupils. The curriculum includes lessons about online safety and about safe, healthy living.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Some subject leaders do not have a comprehensive view of the quality of pupils' work, apart from in English and mathematics.

This hinders leaders' ability to improve the curriculum to match pupils' needs precisely. Leaders should develop a clear knowledge of how well pupils are learning. They should use this information to further adapt the curriculum so that in all subjects pupils learn strongly.

. Some pupils do not retain their knowledge of spelling patterns. This holds them back from using their writing skills properly.

Leaders should make sure that the curriculum gives pupils the essential knowledge that they need to spell all of the required words set out in the national curriculum. This will help these pupils to write with accuracy across subjects.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good, or standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 27–28 June 2011.