Rotherhithe Primary School Achieves Flagship Status

Rotherhithe Primary School has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Flagship status.

Rich and Diverse Community

Rotherhithe Primary School is a thriving two-form entry school which forms part of the River Hill Federation in Southwark.  It is proud to serve a rich and diverse community from a wide range of heritages.  There are significant levels of economic and social disadvantage and the proportion of children who are eligible for free school meals is well above the national average.  Upon arrival, it is instantly clear that this is a warm, welcoming and caring environment in which children flourish.  The school motto ‘Be the best you can be’ is a golden thread which runs through everything alongside 6 core values: ambition, creativity, empathy, courage, resilience and respect.  These values have been chosen to prepare the children to become thoughtful and ambitious citizens for the future.

When meeting with the Head of School, it was clear that there is a strong focus on pupil and staff wellbeing.  The school is highly inclusive and believes that the inclusion of all children is of benefit to the whole school community. 

The atmosphere inside the beautiful, new building is calm and purposeful with a clear sense of togetherness and belonging.  The River Hill Federation vision is to create a supportive environment for personal growth and where enquiring minds develop a passion for learning is reflected throughout the school.  

Creativity is at the heart of a curriculum that is thoughtfully designed to build on children’s prior learning, develop their knowledge, understanding and skills through quality first teaching.  Art, music, wellness and sports are strengths of the rich curriculum. Lessons are carefully planned to make the learning interesting and relevant for the children.  

Reassuring Environment for all Pupils

The caring ethos at Rotherhithe provides a reassuring environment for all pupils.  Children know how to keep safe and feel safe at school.  All children are encouraged to take on some responsibility and older children are encouraged to help younger ones.  An active School Council delivers assemblies around anti-bullying and conflict resolution.  They also lead tours of the school for visitors.  The children our Assessor met were polite, confident and enthusiastic about their school and clearly thrive in this supportive atmosphere.  

Leaders and staff are clearly very proud of their school and the inclusive culture.  They understand the importance of pupil wellbeing and mental health on outcomes for children, both academic and emotional.  Throughout the school, there is a meticulous approach to the teaching and learning of emotional literacy. 

All staff are trained on Zones of Regulation which is well-embedded and enables children to identify and develop strategies to manage their emotions.  Pupil and staff feedback was also used to design a bespoke PSHE and Well-being curriculum that reflects the diverse community.  

Staff Value and Seek to Empower Families

The school’s commitment to celebrating diversity is also reflected in the whole-school approach to developing the children’s social, moral, cultural and spiritual (SMSC) understanding.  The effective SMSC Lead ensures that children and staff are aware of the diverse world they live in through workshops, INSETs and inclusive texts. 

Leaders want these experiences to be ‘usualised’ rather than ‘normalised’.  They want diversity and inclusion to be part of children’s everyday lives rather than a themed event or month.  

The culture of inclusion also applies to parents. Leaders and staff value and seek to empower families by working in partnership with them rather than telling them how to be parents.  Parents speak highly of the relationship they have with the school and value this active collaboration.  They agreed that staff are communicative, approachable and always willing to offer advice or support.  One parent shared that the parent programme they attended was invaluable as it has enabled them to learn the same language as the teachers which has strengthened relationships with their children at home. 

Leaders at Rotherhithe understand the importance of working in partnerships in order to achieve the best outcomes for children. 

The school works closely with other agencies and adopts a collaborative approach which supports the planning and delivery of quality first teaching for all children.  It also proactively shares and disseminates good inclusion practice across a wide range of partnerships. 

Leaders and staff are generous with their knowledge and time as they are truly committed to achieving excellent outcomes for all children.