Preston school must 'refine' curriculum but pandemic teaching is top: Ofsted

The Roebuck School needs to 'refine' its early years curriculum but has done a top job of teaching during the pandemic said the schools watchdog, photo: Kelvin Stuttard.

The Roebuck School, Inkerman Street, was praised for taking ‘effective action’ to provide education during the pandemic following the remote monitoring 'visit'.

The schools watchdog said the curriculum needs to be ‘refined’ so it is clear what children need to learn before the end of their first school year.

The school, which has 292 pupils, rolled back the curriculum during the pandemic when children were not able to study music and languages.

It had hoped to continue teaching these subjects this term.

Praise was given by Ofsted after the school provided children with electronic devices for home learning and trained staff to teach remotely which it says gave ‘all pupils equal opportunities to learn’.

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A third of pupils were attending school in person at the time of Ofsted’s visit: this was before all school’s reopened on March 8 and all ‘vulnerable’ children were attending.

Headteacher Jill Alexander-Steele said: “The past 12 months have been challenging, and I am extremely pleased that, despite the impact of the Covid pandemic, we have had two, very positive, remote monitoring inspections.

“We have welcomed the advice given during the 'visits' and continue to act upon it.”

Reading is a ‘key focus’ for the school which is making good progress in this area despite disruption to pupils’ reading nationally following the pandemic.

Special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) pupils are ‘growing in confidence’ says Ofsted and all parents who responded to the ‘Parent View’ survey agreed with this.

A small number of these parents expressed concerns about behaviour management and bullying.

Headteacher Jill Alexander-Steele emphasised that this was a 'very small number' of parents and that the school is working hard to address this.

The school was judged to ‘require improvement’ by Ofsted at its last three full inspections - the most recent of which took place in 2018.

The Roebuck School is due for a full inspection soon after its last inspection was postponed due to the pandemic.

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