Roundhay School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive academically, and personally, at Roundhay School. Staff know each pupil individually. They work tirelessly to provide exceptional support, including acting as strong advocates for pupils and their families with outside agencies.

Pupils enjoy attending school. Attendance is high. Pupils learn effectively across the whole school.

They consistently achieve highly in external exams and tests.

The school community contains pupils from diverse backgrounds. The personal development programme is extremely effective in supporting pupils to understand, respect and celebrate the lives of others.

Groups of pupils are actively involved in designing ...aspects of the personal development programme. For example, pupil groups have developed videos that support other pupils to understand why certain words are considered offensive when talking about their faith, sexuality or culture. Pupils show exceptional levels of respect for others.

The school aspires for all pupils to be 'Recognisably Roundhay – responsible, resilient, and ready to learn'. This is something that pupils live out daily. They can explain what this means to them in their own words and demonstrate this consistently through their actions.

Most pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons and around school. Those few pupils who struggle with the high behaviour expectations receive highly effective support to help them be successful.

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

The school has a determination that all pupils will learn to read with precision and fluency.

Children are expertly taught phonics from the very start of Reception. By the end of Year 2, almost all pupils are reading accurately and confidently. As pupils move through the primary phase, they read a range of interesting books.

The focus on reading continues in the secondary phase. Extensive staff development ensures that teachers know how to 'get the most out of each piece of text' that pupils read in their subjects. Students in the sixth form read a range of texts covering contemporary issues in society, along with academic journals and papers.

Leaders have carefully designed subject curriculums from Reception through to Year 13. They have outlined what pupils will learn, and when. The expectations for what pupils will know and be able to do at the end of each stage of education are exceptionally high.

Across the school, teachers have a shared understanding of the high-quality teaching approaches that best support pupils' learning. Pupils of all ages can talk confidently about what they have learned. They produce high-quality work independently.

In the early years, adults understand the needs of the youngest learners well. They expertly establish the foundations and routines that children need for later learning. High-quality adult-led learning provides children with the skills and knowledge they need to become independent learners.

All adults have a relentless focus on identifying and addressing barriers to learning to help all children to succeed.The school has a 'whatever it takes' approach to supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff carefully identify pupils' individual learning needs and ensure that they address any barriers to learning.

Adults working in the resourced provision have an expert understanding of pupils' needs. They support pupils to develop strategies to manage their own learning. This helps pupils to engage in and be successful across the curriculum.

Students in the sixth form receive the independent support and guidance they need to prepare them well for the future. A large percentage of pupils go on to higher education, including to Russell Group universities. Students demonstrate independent, mature attitudes to study skills, both in and out of the classroom.

They speak highly of the enrichment programme available to them, including opportunities for work experience and to develop their own personal interests.

Pupils behave very well. The expectations, built around the school's 'Kindness Charter', are understood clearly by pupils, parents and staff.

Systems for rewarding positive actions, or dealing with negative behaviours, are simple and consistently applied. A small number of pupils attend alternative provision. The level of coordination between school and these providers is exceptional.

Pupils benefit from a wide array of carefully considered extra-curricular clubs and groups. There is an absolute commitment that all pupils will benefit from these excellent opportunities. Where there are barriers to a pupil attending a club, leaders work with the pupil and their family to find solutions.

This is highly successful. Currently, 97% of pupils attend at least one club each week.

Governors ensure they have an accurate understanding of the strengths of the school as well as any areas for further development.

They provide highly effective challenge to leaders to help maintain continuous improvement. Leaders act with a relentless moral purpose. They are committed to supporting every pupil and member of the staff team.

They actively seek ways to manage staff workload and well-being. Staff are proud to work in this exceptional school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Also at this postcode