OLD ROAD

Overview

Old Road C.P. School is described as a “warm and happy learning environment” where pupils feel safe and demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning. While many pupils make suitable progress and staff are committed to well-being, the report notes that teaching and curriculum planning do not always challenge all learners sufficiently, particularly in literacy and numeracy.

Strengths

• Pupils feel “safe and listened to” and display “high levels of happiness and well-being” due to strong relationships with staff.
• The school provides a “broad and interesting range of learning activities,” including effective use of the outdoors and enterprise projects.
• Pupils develop “digital and creative skills well,” with older pupils successfully transferring learning to local enterprise activities.
• Staff respond “sensitively and effectively” to pupils’ emotional and social needs, supporting those with additional learning needs through detailed plans.
• Pupils take on “purposeful roles” in leadership groups, influencing positive changes such as the ‘walking bus’ and outdoor improvements.

Areas to improve

• Improve reading and writing skills, especially for older pupils, as a minority do not read fluently or write consistently.
• Ensure the curriculum supports progressive development of numeracy skills, as opportunities to apply these skills systematically are limited.
• Strengthen school improvement processes and ensure all governors work collaboratively to support specific areas of teaching and learning.

Safeguarding

The report states that the school’s “arrangements and culture of safeguarding pupils meet requirements and give no cause for concern.”