Roughlee Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Roughlee Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and children in the early years, enjoy attending this school.

They described the school as a 'friendly and welcoming family'. They said that they are happy at this school. Pupils said that they get to know everyone well.

Leaders are ambitious for every pupil. Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and achievement. Pupils appreciate the rewards that staff give them when they meet or exceed adults' expectations.

Pupils behave very well and work hard in lessons. Pupils understand the school routines and they follow them effectively. Child...ren are kind towards each other.

They share and take turns. All pupils are keen to help one another.

Adults know the children and pupils well.

Pupils explained that teachers carefully tailor learning to their needs and interests. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well.

Children and pupils said that they are happy to share any concerns that they may have with staff.

They said that they are confident that any issues, including bullying, will be dealt with effectively. Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe at school.

Pupils value the varied opportunities that they have to be role models and to take on additional responsibilities.

They said that they enjoy the extra clubs and activities that staff provide.

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

Leaders and governors have created an ambitious curriculum which is broad and balanced. They have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn.

This includes children in the early years. Pupils and children achieve well.

The order in which pupils, and children in the Reception Year, learn new information is carefully designed to enable them to build on their prior knowledge.

It is well thought out. However, sometimes teachers do not choose the most appropriate activities to ensure that pupils and children learn new topics and concepts in sufficient depth. Very occasionally, this prevents a minority of pupils and children from achieving all that they could.

Teachers successfully use leaders' assessment systems to identify how well each pupil is learning new subject knowledge. Teachers identify pupils' misconceptions quickly. They skilfully adapt the delivery of the curriculum to ensure that they revisit any gaps in pupils' learning.

Pupils are well supported to know and remember more of the curriculum.

Leaders prioritise reading. A sharp focus on reading begins as soon as children join the early years.

Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme. This includes staff in key stage 2, who use their expertise to help older pupils who may have fallen behind with their reading knowledge. Staff ensure that the books match the sounds that pupils know.

Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy reading a range of types of books. Older pupils talk with enthusiasm about different authors that they like to read.

Leaders have put into place effective systems to identify pupils who may need additional support, including those with SEND.

Staff meet regularly to ensure that the arrangements for supporting pupils with SEND are successful in meeting their learning needs. Suitable adaptations are made to the delivery of the curriculum to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve well. Leaders ensure that parents and carers are actively involved at all stages.

This helps parents to support their children.

Leaders expect all pupils to attend school regularly. Pupils' attendance rates are high.

Leaders work closely with families to remove any barriers to pupils' attendance. Leaders also ensure that pupils are punctual to school and to lessons.

Pupils access a strong programme of wider personal development.

They benefit from a range of whole-school trips and experiences, along with external visits. These are carefully matched to the curriculum content in each key stage, including in the early years. Parents value the range of after-school activities that leaders organise to widen children's and pupils' horizons.

Regular visitors to school offer children and pupils a range of first-hand experiences to help to prepare them for life in modern Britain.

Pupils explained that they value the opportunities that staff provide for them to develop their leadership skills. The oldest pupils in Year 6 take on a range of important positions of responsibility.

For example, they lead fundraising work in school. This has resulted in money being raised for both local and international projects.

Staff work together as an effective team.

Leaders and governors constantly evaluate the effectiveness of the decisions that they make to improve the quality of education for pupils. Governors know the school well. They understand and meet their statutory duties.

Leaders and governors are cognisant of staff's workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in this school.

Leaders know pupils well. They have developed close links with the families in their community. There is regular and effective communication between staff and parents.

Staff are immediately aware of any changes in pupils' behaviour. Leaders use effective systems to record any potential concerns.

Leaders work effectively with a range of appropriate agencies to provide support for pupils.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. Pupils said that they are confident that there is an adult that they can talk to should they have any worries.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• At times, teachers do not make the most appropriate pedagogical choices, including in the early years, to help pupils and children learn new knowledge.

From time to time, this hinders how well some pupils and children learn. Leaders should ensure that teachers maximise all opportunities to provide activities which fully support pupils and children to further enhance their learning and development.

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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

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

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2013.