The Roundhill Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 July 2023

The Roundhill Academy is an improving school. Following several changes in leadership and staffing, the school is becoming more settled and stable. Leaders are making a lot of changes to support rapid improvement to the school. Pupils and staff are beginning to see the positive impact of these changes. The school is welcoming. Relationships between staff and pupils are typically positive. The school is calm and orderly. Staff expect pupils to learn and behave well. However, pupils say that disruption to learning sometimes occurs. Pupils say they feel safe at school. An increasing number of pupils feel confident to talk to staff about any concerns they have. They know that staff will deal with any immediate issues. However, pupils also say that instances of bullying or use of disrespectful language, including homophobic language, are not always fully resolved. Nevertheless, most pupils are happy at school. Many pupils achieve well, particularly by the end of key stage 4. However, the academic needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or for those who are disadvantaged are not consistently well catered for in the classroom. Pupils enjoy enrichment opportunities, such as the 'School of Rock' performance and the 'Roundhill Run'. However, they would like more variety.

What the school should improve

• Teachers' expectations of what pupils can achieve are not consistently high across all subjects and year groups. Sometimes, teachers move on to new tasks without ensuring that all pupils have fully understood what has been taught. On occasion, pupils leave work unfinished or wait to be provided with information when they are unsure of the knowledge they need to apply. Leaders should ensure that all teachers have the skills they need to check pupils' understanding over time, and in all year groups, so that all pupils achieve as well as they can.
• Leaders' oversight of pupils who are disadvantaged or those with SEND has strengthened. Staff receive the information they need to help meet the needs of these pupils. However, in the classroom, the academic support for these pupils does not always receive the priority it needs. This means that these pupils do not always complete tasks or achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that all staff have the skills they need to provide the right support for these pupils so that they engage and achieve as well as they can.
• Some staff and pupils continue to be concerned about the behaviour and attitudes of some pupils. They say that, although behaviour is improving, learning can be disrupted by poor behaviour. Some staff feel that the school's policy is not consistently well implemented, including where rewarding pupils is concerned. Pupils agree. This prevents some pupils from participating in learning as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that the school's behaviour policy is applied consistently.
• More pupils now feel confident to report their worries and concerns than was previously the case, including in relation to bullying. They feel safe in school. However, some pupils continue to lack confidence to share their concerns because they think issues may not be fully resolved. Leaders should continue to nurture a culture in school where all pupils feel comfortable to share their worries and to feel assured that staff will support them over time.
• The curriculum for pupils' personal development is not as effective as it needs to be. Pupils often struggle to recall important knowledge about how the law protects people with different characteristics. They are unclear about the importance of British values. Some pupils neither respect nor embrace these, or the school's values, in their attitudes towards others who may be different from them. Too many pupils sometimes use disrespectful language towards others. As a result, some pupils' experience and enjoyment of school is not as positive as it should be. Leaders need to ensure that all pupils, in all years, benefit from a high- quality personal development programme that equips them to be fully prepared for life in modern Britain. Leaders should further ensure that the same programme fosters positive attitudes which enable pupils to respect and celebrate the different human characteristics that make people unique.
• Some pupils, particularly pupils with SEND or those who are disadvantaged, do not attend school as regularly as they should. The rates of persistent absence for disadvantaged pupils are high. Leaders should continue to ensure that those pupils who require it receive the support they need to be able to attend school regularly and achieve well.
• Some staff have mixed views about how well leaders communicate their vision and expectations for the future development of the school. While recognising the improvements that are taking place, some staff do not always feel that there is a united sense of common purpose. As a result, the collective morale of staff is not as high as it should be. Leaders should ensure that all staff have clarity about, and feel involved in, the future direction of the school so that all staff understand, embrace and uphold leaders' vision and expectations for future improvement.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)