Roxwell Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this warm and friendly school.

They live out the school's vision of 'Discovering a world of possibilities together', in their enthusiasm for all aspects of school life. Pupils behave beautifully around the school and play happily on the playground. They come here to learn and to have fun.

Staff have consistently high expectations of all pupils and pupils meet these. They thrive on praise. They are proud to receive house points for their achievements.

Pupils love to hear how well their house has fared at the weekly celebration assemblies. Year 6 head prefects and house captains lead these.

Pupils concentrate very well in lessons..../>
They listen to the adults and follow their instructions promptly. This includes the youngest children. In the Reception class, children know the routines.

They are keen to please and eager to learn. The positive attitudes children learn in the early years stay with them as they move through the school.

There are many opportunities for pupils to develop outside of the classroom.

These include singing at the Royal Albert Hall, dancing at Chelmsford's Civic Theatre and putting on a Christmas show in Chelmsford Cathedral.

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

The school's curriculum has been carefully planned in a two-year cycle to support the mixed-age classes. The curriculum for each subject breaks learning down into logical steps.

These are sequenced, so that pupils build their knowledge and skills over time. The subject-specific vocabulary pupils learn is identified on curriculum documents.

The early years curriculum maps out the essential knowledge and skills children need.

It prepares them well for later learning. In the Reception class, children develop their fine motor skills by picking up 'worms' with tweezers. They make marks with paintbrushes and water on the fence, or with chalk on the playground.

These activities help to prepare children well for early writing.

Teachers' subject knowledge is strong. They explain new learning to pupils clearly.

They revisit previous learning frequently. This helps pupils to remember it. In mathematics, for example, every lesson includes a 'ten-minute-maths' recap session.

This enables pupils to practise and secure what they already know.In lessons, teachers use effective questioning to check pupils' understanding. They address any misconceptions and adjust their teaching when necessary.

The school has introduced a new system to check pupils' understanding in the foundation subjects. This enables teachers to see if there are any gaps in pupils' learning. However, this system is in the early stages and needs more time to have a positive impact.

Phonics teaching starts when children join the Reception class. Well-trained adults deliver daily sessions. Adults ensure that pupils practise the sounds they are learning.

Pupils read texts that are matched to these sounds. Adults identify pupils who are not keeping up and need extra support. They put this effective support in place quickly.

Older pupils read widely and regularly. In reading lessons, pupils develop their vocabulary and reading skills. They are then able to discuss authors' intentions or infer what characters are like.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as their peers. The school identifies these pupils promptly. Teachers skilfully adapt their lessons.

Pupils get the extra help and support that they need. Pupils with SEND benefit from calm classrooms and widely understood routines. Learning is rarely disrupted and most pupils with SEND achieve well.

The school's programme for personal development is carefully planned. Pupils learn about healthy lifestyles and positive relationships through the personal, social, health and economic curriculum. They learn about rules and personal safety when both on and offline.

In religious education, pupils learn about the world's major faiths. Pupils are respectful of difference and regard it as something to celebrate.

A wide range of well-attended extra-curricular clubs extends pupils' skills and talents.

These include archery, hip-hop dance and gardening. There is a strong programme of pastoral support for pupils' and adults' well-being. This includes the occasional ride on Paddy, the school horse.

There have been significant improvements to school leadership in recent years. Trust leaders and the governing body have an accurate view of the school's strengths and next steps. They are rigorous in their oversight of the school's work, providing challenge and support, as necessary.

Staff appreciate the many opportunities for professional development provided by the trust and by being part of the three schools hub. They feel valued by leaders. Leaders have established an ambitious vision for the school, which is understood and shared by all.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's system for checking pupils' understanding at the end of a unit of work in the foundation subjects is new. There has not yet been sufficient time for the impact of this system to be seen.

This means that, the school does not have a strong enough picture of how well the curriculum is working. The school should ensure this system is well understood and fully implemented by teachers. This will give the school the information needed to improve the curriculum and address any gaps in pupils' learning.