Rose Lane Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Rose Lane Primary School.

Much consideration has been given to pupils' social and emotional development. This ensures pupils feel secure and are kept safe in school. The school provides a range of after-school additional activities, including extra classes for pupils in Year 6.

Pupils enjoy learning a wide range of subjects. Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. While pupils learn effectively in some subjects, this is not consistent.

There is too much variability in how well the curriculum is implemented, and expectations of what pupils can achieve are not high enough. For example, too many pupils do not read at the le...vel expected for their age. As a result, some pupils are not as well prepared as they need to be for the next stage of their education.

Relationships around the school are warm. Pupils are polite and friendly. While many pupils behave well, there are some classes in which learning is disrupted.

Pupils engage positively with adults and with each other at playtimes. However, some pupils do not feel listened to when they raise concerns about bullying. A small number of pupils use derogatory language.

This is not tackled consistently by all staff.

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

Leaders have identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn in each subject and the order in which the curriculum should be taught. In some subjects, the planned curriculum is well implemented.

In these instances, pupils are well supported to learn and remember more over time. For example, in history, pupils learn about the different ways societies are ruled and governed. Older pupils can compare and contrast concepts such as monarchy, democracy and oligarchy.

Similarly, in mathematics, pupils learn and practise number bonds and multiplication tables. This helps them develop mathematical fluency and gives them the confidence to tackle and explain more complex problems.

In other subjects, however, the work that pupils complete has not been carefully thought through.

Pupils are sometimes asked to complete tasks and activities which do not build on their previous learning. In these subjects, pupils find it difficult to remember and apply the content they have been taught over time. There is too much variability in the way assessment is used to check what pupils have learned.

As a result, errors and misconceptions are not identified or addressed swiftly. This means some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and struggle to understand more complex ideas.

Pupils enjoy reading and being read to.

Pupils can talk confidently about the books they enjoy reading. This begins in early years, where staff develop children's language skills effectively. For example, children enjoy joining in with familiar stories, rhymes and songs.

However, staff do not have sufficient knowledge to teach phonics well. The strategies pupils should use to help them read unfamiliar words are not modelled with accuracy or precision. As a result, too many pupils do not keep up with the pace of the phonics programme.

The school provides additional support for pupils who fall behind. However, these interventions have not yet had the desired impact. This means too many pupils struggle to read or spell with adequate fluency.

This limits the confidence and accuracy with which they access the broader curriculum.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified. Pupils who attend the additionally resourced provision are well supported.

Although leaders seek advice from external agencies, sometimes pupils' individual needs are not recognised early enough. This delays the tailored support they need. There are some inconsistencies in the way teaching helps pupils with SEND to access the planned curriculum.

Most pupils behave well. However, there are classes in which behaviour is challenging. Leaders recognise this.

They have implemented strategies to encourage and reward positive behaviour. The school also provides sessions to help pupils express and explore their feelings. This has not had sufficient time to embed.

Learning in some classes continues to be disrupted. Leaders have taken effective action to ensure that pupils attend school regularly and on time.

Leaders' work to encourage pupils' personal development is well considered.

Pupils take on roles of responsibility, such as representing their class on the school council. They vote on different themes to express their views. The school enables pupils to develop an understanding of the fundamental British values of democracy, mutual respect and tolerance.

There are opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests through a range of additional enrichment activities.

The governing body does not have sufficient knowledge of the school's strengths and weaknesses. This means that it is unable to check that school leaders' self-evaluation and priorities are accurate.

Staff, including those at the start of their careers, feel well supported by leaders in managing their well-being and workload. They value the opportunities to develop professionally.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment is not used effectively to check what pupils understand. This leads to gaps in pupils' knowledge because misconceptions are not consistently identified or addressed. The school should ensure that pupils' knowledge and understanding are routinely checked before introducing new content.

Not enough pupils develop the phonics knowledge required to decode unfamiliar words. This limits their reading accuracy, fluency and confidence. The school must ensure that staff have appropriate training and support to implement the agreed phonics curriculum with consistency and precision.

• Governors do not check systematically that the school's curriculum, policies and procedures are having the intended impact. As a result, there is an overly generous view of the school's effectiveness. Those responsible for governance should ensure that they have an accurate, strategic overview of the school's strengths and weaknesses so that they can hold leaders sufficiently to account for the school's performance.