Ravensmead Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection.

However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Ravensmead Primary School is a lovely place to be.

Pupils behave well, and are exceptionally polite and very confident. Parents and carers deeply appreciate that staff go out of their way to make sure that pupils feel safe and are happy at school.

Pupils say that they get on well together.

Bullying d...oes not happen. If bullying were to happen, pupils know whom they would speak to and are confident that adults in the school would deal with it well.

Pupils love the extra activities that they can do in school.

The range of activities on offer is very wide and exciting. Pupils are inspired by events such as bug club, choir, art club, visits to London and raising money for local and national charities.

Leaders are not yet clear enough about the intended curriculum.

Additionally, some pupils do not learn to read as well as they need to. Sometimes, teachers do not plan activities that help pupils learn as well as they might. Leaders have begun to sort out these problems.

They have raised their aspirations of what pupils can learn, but there is more to do.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have prioritised reading. Their work includes a very wide range of increasingly effective actions.

They are now using a new reading programme. They have increased the number and quality of books in the school and offer sessions for parents about how to support reading.

Pupils read daily.

They also read very regularly in lessons. Leaders have introduced books that help pupils to practise the sounds that they are learning. As a result, in early years and key stage 1, pupils are now learning to read efficiently.

Teachers are quick to identify those who fall a little behind and help them to catch up. However, there are pupils in Year 2 and key stage 2 who have not learned to read properly. Some of these pupils are not regularly reading books that match the sounds that they need to learn.

Leaders are not monitoring these pupils' progress through the curriculum carefully enough.

Leaders have asked teachers to focus on vocabulary and pupils remembering the content of lessons. They have also asked teachers to use talk as a way of getting pupils to regularly review what they are learning.

This means that pupils are talking regularly about their work and are remembering more of the lesson content. In science, for example, leaders have identified the key knowledge that pupils need to gain and remember at different stages. However, in many other subjects, leaders have not thought carefully enough about what pupils need to know.

Therefore, over time, pupils' knowledge is too fragmented. Leaders know this and have clear plans and timescales for making improvements. They have begun work on some subjects, but it is early days.

Currently, teachers and leaders are not clear enough about what pupils need to learn. This is especially the case in the foundation subjects. Because of this, they find it tricky to use assessment to evaluate how well pupils are progressing through the curriculum.

From early years onwards, leaders are diligent in identifying pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, sometimes, tasks that teachers choose in lessons do not help pupils to learn the curriculum as well as they might. As a result, pupils do not learn the lesson content well.

This particularly affects pupils who are behind and those pupils with SEND.

Leaders are dedicated to providing opportunities for pupils' wider development. The range of opportunities for pupils outside subjects is extensive and exciting.

Many of the opportunities support pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very effectively. These include visits to the Houses of Parliament, helping out at a local care home and singing to elderly people in the community.

Leaders ensure that children in early years are well prepared for key stage 1.

Staff provide plenty of learning opportunities through purposeful play. In addition, the curriculum helps children to make progress in many areas, including early number and language.

Leaders consider staff workload and make sure that it is reasonable.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff are well trained. Leaders communicate effectively and regularly with staff about pupils' needs.

Staff appreciate this and feel confident to spot any issues as these arise. Staff are vigilant to problems that pupils might have and the risks they may face.

When pupils need help, staff make sure that they get it.

They log any concerns and make sure that information is shared with the right people. They work with external services when needed.

Leaders make sure that all of the relevant checks on staff take place.

They understand safer recruitment practices well and keep proper records of these checks.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In the recent past, the school's approach to reading has not been well organised. As a result, some pupils have not learned to read well enough.

Leaders should make sure that the new reading scheme is embedded across the school. They should do this to support those pupils in Year 2 and key stage 2 who have not yet learned to read well enough to catch up quickly. ? In many subjects, leaders have not yet identified the key knowledge that pupils need to gain at each stage.

This means that pupils learn content episodically, rather than building knowledge in a logical progression over time. Leaders should ensure that they identify what pupils are to learn and then sequence the curriculum so that pupils can build securely on prior learning. ? Leaders have not yet ensured that assessments identify where pupils fall behind in foundation subjects.

As a result, assessments do not help them to identify and fill gaps in pupils' knowledge. Leaders should ensure that assessment works with greater precision so that teaching can then target gaps in pupils' knowledge. ? Teachers do not consistently provide work that supports all pupils to learn the curriculum as well as possible.

This means that some pupils, particularly those with SEND, do not make the progress of which they are capable. Leaders should make sure that teachers provide work that consistently helps these pupils to learn the curriculum.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2011.

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