Rushey Mead Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders have ensured a compelling vision and school ethos that promotes inclusivity and celebrates diversity. Leaders find creative solutions to support pupils, including the most vulnerable, to overcome barriers to their learning.

The school's curriculum is broad, balanced and well matched to the needs of pupils. Many opportunities are provided to extend the experiences of pupils outside of the school and the local community. Governors have a comprehensive knowledge of the strengths and areas for development across the school.

They hold leaders robustly to account. The culture of safeguarding is strong. All staff and governors have a cle...ar understanding of their responsibilities and perform them well.

Teachers consistently challenge pupils to improve the quality of their writing and to take pride in their achievements. Pupils' writing is of high quality across the curriculum. Teachers in key stage 1 and in the early years teach phonics skills well.

Pupils make rapid progress in phonics from very low starting points. Pupils learn and play well together. They have an age-appropriate understanding of British values and learn about the different faiths within their community.

Disadvantaged pupils currently in the school make progress in line with their peers. Pupils' progress from low starting points is good and is similar to, or above, national expectations in reading, writing and mathematics in key stages 1 and 2. Leaders and teachers in the early years ensure that children make good progress.

Children learn in a safe and secure setting. Teachers do not consistently provide the challenge the most able readers need in key stage 2. Opportunities are not frequent enough to consolidate higher-level reading skills.

Leaders' plans to secure progress in reading do not drive improvements sufficiently rapidly for the most able pupils in key stage 2. A minority of pupils who speak English as an additional language do not achieve sufficient fluency in reading. Persistent absence is higher than the national average.

Information about this school

Rushey Mead Primary School is substantially larger than the average-sized primary school. It increased in size by more than 100 pupils in 2015. A substantial minority of pupils are new arrivals to the country.

Many of these pupils are new to English or are in the early stages of learning English. Nearly all pupils speak English as an additional language. A high number of different languages are spoken by pupils and their parents.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.