Rosherville Church of England Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Rosherville Church of England Academy is a friendly place where everyone cares about each other.

The school's values of 'compassion, trust, courage, wisdom, fellowship and thankfulness' are commendably modelled by all members of the school community. Everyone is treated fairly and with respect. Relationships between staff and pupils are polite and courteous.

Pupils feel safe and happy. They know that adults will help if they have any concerns. Bullying is rare.

Parents describe Rosherville as 'a small school with big aspirations where everyone goes above and beyond for our children'.

Leaders have high expectations. Pupils behave well around the schoo...l and in classrooms.

They work hard and are eager to do their best. They enjoy their learning, especially the many books and authors that are introduced to them by their teachers. They have lots of opportunities to try out different things.

For example, they can take part in a wide range of sporting competitions, raise money for local charities, learn how to sew or play chess.

Senior leaders and the Aletheia Academies Trust (AAT) have brought about significant improvements to the school. However, they recognise that early years and some aspects of the school's curriculum need further strengthening.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to do well, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have carefully considered the curriculum from Year 1 to Year 6 and the order in which learning should happen. This means that learning builds progressively on what pupils know.

Leaders are focusing their efforts on identifying more precisely the knowledge they want pupils to learn in a number of subjects. However, in early years they have not considered precisely enough what they want children to learn and how this learning aligns with the whole school's curriculum. In addition, across the early years environment, activities set up for children do not always have a clear learning focus.

These activities do not positively develop children's curiosity or their interest in the world around them. Not all staff are well trained so they can help children develop and extend their learning. Consequently, children in the early years are not learning as well as they should.

Leaders make sure that reading is a top priority. They have introduced a systematic approach to the teaching of phonics. Staff have been trained well so they can support pupils to get off to the best possible start in learning to read.

Leaders put in appropriate support for any pupils who need help to catch up. They have carefully considered the books that pupils read and are determined that pupils develop an interest in reading more widely as they move up the school. Consequently, pupils learn to read quickly and fluently.

Although leaders have brought about much improvement to the quality of education, they are not always clear about the impact of their work. This is because they do not check carefully enough that all pupils learn and achieve as well as they should in all subjects.

There is an inclusive ethos in the school.

Leaders and staff understand and meet the needs of all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Many parents say their children are 'thriving' and that Rosherville is 'more like a family than just a school'.

The school is a calm and orderly place.

Pupils listen attentively to their teachers in lessons. Pupils' learning is rarely disrupted by off-task behaviour.

Leaders show great vision and passion in their work to develop pupils as well-rounded individuals.

Pupils have a strong understanding of each other's differences and say everyone is treated fairly. They learn about world religions, including Christianity. They visit museums and places of worship, and they go to the theatre.

The '50 things to do before we leave Rosherville' lie at the core of what the school offers. Notably, last year pupils achieved all of these by the end of Year 6.

Staff feel well supported and there is a strong sense of camaraderie.

They appreciate leaders' attention to their well-being and workload. They value the professional development they receive and are keen to develop and improve their practice.

The trust and governors show admirable moral imperative.

They work collegiately to consistently improve and enhance the quality of education for all pupils. Without question, the support provided by the trust has been and continues to be pivotal to the school's continued improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a culture of care and vigilance in this school. Staff know pupils and their families well and are alert to external risks. Pupils feel safe and know there is always an adult who can support them.

All staff and parents feel that pupils are kept safe.

Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities well because they are well trained. They know how to report any concerns they may have.

Leaders work closely with external agencies to access support for pupils and their families.

Recruitment checks on adults who work or visit the school are robust and records well maintained.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not adequately considered the school's curriculum in early years.

This means that planned activities set for children do not always have a clear learning focus or successfully develop children's curiosity and interests. Adults need further support so they can more effectively develop and extend children's learning. ? Leaders' work to develop the school's curriculum is firmly underway.

Leaders have carefully considered the sequence of learning in subjects from Year 1 to Year 6 so that pupils' learning builds on what they have learned before. However, leaders have not precisely identified the knowledge they want pupils to learn from early years to Year 6 in some subjects. Leaders should continue to further refine the knowledge they want pupils to learn in subjects such as art, geography and history.

• Leaders have implemented many strategies to bring about improvement. However, they are not always clear about the impact of the improvements they have made. Leaders should ensure that they monitor all aspects of the school's work, including in early years, more effectively, to ensure they have an accurate and informed understanding of the impact of the improvements they are making.