Ravensmere Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this small and welcoming school.

They describe the school as one big family. Pupils and staff have strong relationships and staff know pupils individually. Pupils thrive because of the high expectations and quality of care they receive.

There is a broad and balanced curriculum that pupils benefit from. This is an inclusive school. All opportunities provided by the school are open to everyone, for example the 'no outsiders' theme starts from the very first moment children start in Reception.

Pupils know about differences, for example race, disabilities, culture and families. As a result, pupils believe that they should treat everyone the sa...me. They feel safe and included in the life of the school.

Pupils generally behave well and follow routines. They listen to their teachers and respond well to instructions. The calm atmosphere helps them learn.

They know that if something worries them there is always an adult in school who can help. Pupils feel safe.

Pupils enjoy having extra roles and responsibilities, such as being music leaders, eco leaders or members of the school council.

Pupils are proud of these roles and take them seriously. These roles help them to develop into responsible citizens.

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

The school has worked tirelessly to design a new curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils.

Curriculum leaders have strong subject knowledge and a passion for their subjects. Working across the federation, leaders have clearly defined the knowledge pupils need to know by the time pupils reach a key point in their education. The curriculum provides pupils with the core knowledge they need to go on to be successful in key stage 2.

The school has broken the knowledge down into manageable chunks. It has set the order in which the knowledge should be taught so that pupils' learning builds gradually. In a very small number of subjects, the learning activities set out in the curriculum are not always precisely matched to the needs of pupils.

The planned activities do not always enable pupils to achieve as well as they could.

The school has recently introduced a new scheme for early reading, which meets the needs of pupils. The school ensures that phonics is taught from beginning of Reception.

Staff access high-quality training, which means that the teaching of phonics is consistent. Pupils read books which are well matched to the sounds they are learning. Staff identify pupils who are not keeping up and quickly put in effective support for them.

Pupils enjoy the wide variety of texts that they have available to them in their class and school library. They are also excited by the stories staff read to them in class. This develops the pupils' love of reading and ensures that they are developing their reading skills well.

The school has high ambitions for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers and receive additional support. Activities are adapted to help them learn and make progress.

At times, some of this support does not always have the desired effect. This is because leaders do not always ensure that teachers have specific guidance about what help some pupils need. Targets are too broad, and this means pupils' needs are not specifically met.

As a result, some of the support that some pupils receive is not precise enough to help them learn as well as they could.

There is a strong curriculum for early years. The classroom is well resourced.

Staff are knowledgeable. Adults plan activities that stimulate children's interests and provide meaningful opportunities to learn. They skilfully break down learning into small steps.

Staff use well-crafted questions to help children develop their language skills. This means children are ready for the more formally structured learning in key stage 1.

There is a comprehensive programme for pupils' personal development.

This is taught in relationships, sex and health education lessons and through assemblies. This provides the knowledge and experiences pupils need to become well-rounded citizens. Pupils are positive about this aspect of school.

All stakeholders value the small school and its family ethos. Parents are very positive about the school. They speak highly of the support and care their children receive.

Trustees and members of the local governing body are passionate about improving the experience of pupils at Ravensmere. They understand the school and its priorities.

Staff value the professional development that the school and trust provide.

They appreciate the consideration of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The individual targets for some pupils with SEND are too broad.

They do not precisely set out how teachers can support them to overcome their barriers to learning. This means some of the additional support that some pupils receive does not help them as well as they could. The school should ensure that staff have the precise information they need to adapt their teaching effectively.

• In a very small number of subjects, the curriculum does not fully meet the needs of pupils. Sometimes, pupils are engaged in activities that are not appropriate for what they should be learning. The school should refine the curriculum in these subjects so that the activities and resources meet the needs of all pupils.