Roundthorn Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

This is an outstanding school and one that has self-improvement at its heart. The excellent and inspirational leadership of the headteacher is complemented very well by the senior team and the effective and supportive governing body.

Care, guidance and support are outstanding and pupils respond very positively, with attendance that is consistently above average and exemplary behaviour. Parents and carers pay extensive tribute to what the school does for their children through comments such as, 'I am so proud to be involved with such a loving, caring school.' In addition, the partnerships with other schools and support agencies complement pupils' learning exceptionally well.

The stimulating an...d outstanding curriculum meets individual needs well and is enriched by a range of interventions and activities that provide equal opportunities for all to learn and flourish. Indeed, at Roundthorn every child does matter. As a result, pupils are avid learners.

Most children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with exceptionally low starting points and a significant number are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. All benefit from exciting and fun activities, enabling them to make good progress overall in the setting. The school recognises that the best practice in teaching language and communication skills in the Early Years Foundation Stage is not consistently embedded to enable all children to make the best possible progress in developing these skills.

Carefully crafted programmes in Key Stage 1 such as those designed to developing pupils' speaking skills build their learning potential and result in accelerated learning later on in Key Stage 2. Overall, pupils make outstanding progress across the school and achieve well in their learning because the school has high expectations of them. Staff eradicate any differences in the achievement of groups of pupils.

For example, the school has been highly successful in helping the visually impaired through specifically designed programmes. Such intervention enables those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to make the same exceptional progress as their peers. Pupils learning English as an additional language are helped greatly by the specialist and other support they are given and as a result, also make outstanding progress.

Roundthorn has been successful in driving up pupils' academic performance since the last inspection and sustaining outstanding practice in supporting their personal development and preparing them well for their future. Pupils feel extremely safe and secure and have a mature and very well-developed understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. They make an excellent contribution to the school and local communities.

Safeguarding procedures are exemplary. The partnership with parents and carers, and other agencies is extremely strong and underpins and supports the school's outstanding levels of care, guidance and support. As one parent commented, echoing the views of many, 'My child loves this school and has really improved in their reading.'

Through accurate self-evaluation, leaders have brought about many improvements including building a spirited teaching team. As a result, teaching and learning are outstanding. This has led to a rising trend in attainment over the last three years, which is now broadly average.

Leaders are aware of good assessment practice, although the quality across the school is variable. In a few cases, teachers do not follow up specific next step actions that enable all pupils to make consistently good or better progress in writing. The school demonstrates an outstanding capacity for further improvement based on the work it has done since the last inspection.

Information about the school

This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school. Almost all pupils are from minority ethnic groups and most speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above that usually seen.

The percentage of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly average. The school is a nationally accredited Healthy School and also holds, Activemark, Artsmark and the Investors in People award. As an Eco School, it received the Green Flag recently.