Rosebrook Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they enjoy school. They told us that they loved to write and that they write about lots of things.

Their progress in writing is well above average. Pupils are proud of their work. So much so that they checked that inspectors had seen their books.

Pupils said that teachers help them to be better at their work. When we visited lessons, we could see how much teachers and teaching assistants do this. Pupils feel safe in their learning and know it is fine if they do not get something right.

They were happy to ask for help, and to help their peers.

When we talked to pupils, they told us they feel safe around school. They also told us that their ...teachers encourage them to be respectful and kind to each other.

Some pupils told us that bullying can happen, but that teachers sort it out straight away. They also told us that there is some name-calling. When we looked at the school's record of incidents, we could see that leaders take action to deal with them.

They make sure parents know what has happened and that the incident is resolved.

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

Leaders know their pupils and families well. They have worked hard to develop their curriculum to reflect this.

Trust staff have supported leaders to develop schemes of work that are in line with the aims of the national curriculum. Teachers plan activities that help pupils to know more and to practise their skills. Teachers use assessment information well.

It helps them to know those pupils who need extra support.

Pupils make good progress in mathematics, and were enthusiastic about their mathematics lessons. These are well planned so that pupils build up their knowledge step by step.

They get lots of opportunities to practise too. Pupils in Year 6 told us how their work on addition in Year 5 helped them to understand more complex problems in Year 6.

In modern foreign languages teachers are building pupils' French vocabulary well.

Pupils told us how they were able to speak in French on their visit to France. Pupils' speaking skills are better than their writing skills. The scheme of work for writing is less precise.

Schemes of work in geography and science follow a logical sequence. Pupils build their knowledge over time. Teachers check pupils' understanding so that they can iron out misconceptions.

However, some concepts are being taught better than others. For example, in science pupils know more about living things and materials than they do about physical processes. The scheme of work is not precise enough in this aspect of science.

Reading is a high priority for leaders. They place a strong focus on broadening pupils' vocabulary. Many children start school with weaker language skills than would be expected.

The teaching of early reading skills in the Nursery and Reception classes is very secure. Children get lots of opportunities to sing songs and rhymes. They build up a set of favourite stories that they return to throughout the year.

Children's reading outcomes at the end of Reception are improving year on year.

The teaching of phonics (letters and sounds they represent) is well structured. Pupils are being taught in groups according to their ability.

They get focused teaching. There is extra support for pupils who need to catch up in their reading. The books which pupils use to practise their reading match their phonics skills.

This helps pupils to improve. Many of the pupils who struggle with their reading are not heard to read at home regularly. Teachers give more time to listen to these pupils read in school.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well supported. The 'HUB' provides specialist support for pupils with communication needs well. The special educational needs coordinator is diligent in her work.

All pupils with SEND have precise targets for their learning. There is a robust cycle of planning and reviewing targets in place. Pupils with SEND are making good progress against their personal targets.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Anyone wishing to work at the school must complete detailed employment checks first. Staff get safeguarding training to make sure that they know what to do if they have a concern.

The training is frequent. This means staff know the local issues facing pupils and their families. The designated leaders for safeguarding are tenacious when following up such concerns.

They keep detailed records of any actions taken to keep pupils safe.

The parent support officer is vigilant in checking pupils' attendance at school. Daily routines include collecting pupils from home in the school minibus.

She makes home visits when pupils are not in school. Staff work hard to make sure pupils are safe.

Leaders are implementing a detailed scheme of work for pupils' personal development.

This places a big focus on helping pupils to keep themselves safe in the community and online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

In core subjects the schemes of work are planned precisely so that teachers can build pupils' knowledge and skills step by step. However, in foundation subjects such as geography and science, schemes of work lack precision in some key concepts.

Curriculum leaders need to check how effectively teachers are building pupils' knowledge and skills for all aspects of foundation subjects, so that pupils learn more and remember more. . Leaders need to make sure that the very recently introduced scheme of work for pupils' personal development is implemented across the school, so that pupils have a secure understanding of local risks, and that they are equipped with the skills needed to deal with them.